Meaning of pair in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Definitions
  3. Noun
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /pɛr/

    US accent Play button

    UK accent

  1. Verb

    pair

    Definitions

    1. form a pair or pairs

    Examples

    • « The two old friends paired off »

    Derived terms

  2. 2. bring two objects, ideas, or people together

    Examples

    • « This fact is coupled to the other one »
    • « Matchmaker, can you match my daughter with a nice young man? »
    • « The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project »

    Derived terms

  3. 3. occur in pairs

    Derived terms

  4. 4. arrange in pairs

    Examples

    • « Pair these numbers »

    Derived terms

  5. 5. make love

    Examples

    • « Birds mate in the Spring »

    Derived terms

  6. Noun

    pair

    Etymology

    Middle English: from Old French paire, from Latin paria‘equal things’, neuter plural of par‘equal’. Formerly phrases such as a pair of gloves were expressed without of, as in a pair gloves (compare with German ein Paar Handschuhe)

    Definitions

    1. a set of two similar things considered as a unit

    Derived terms

  7. 2. two items of the same kind

    Derived terms

  8. 3. two people considered as a unit

    Derived terms

  9. 4. a poker hand with 2 cards of the same value

Famous quotes

  • « I love street style, seeing how girls wear pieces and how their pair accessories with their outfit. How they pair shoes with a bag and go to day to night and change things up. »
    Maria Sharapova
  • « I wore my first pair of Louboutins during this press tour. It was absolutely amazing, they weren't heels, they were little shoes, but they were velvet and they were blue. »
    Chloe Moretz
  • « I come from pioneer stock, developers of the West, people who went out into the wilderness and set up home with nothing but a pair of oxen. »
    Joni Mitchell
  • « When I pair food and wine, I start with the food. If I have a beautiful roasted bird, I might choose a Cabernet or Pinot Noir, or maybe a Syrah, depending on the sauce and what is in my cellar. »
    Jacques Pepin
  • « I am involved with 'Write Girl,' which is such a great organization, because they go into inner city schools and work with underprivileged girls to pair them up with other writers. And it gets them learning to express themselves and become familiar with their own voice. They have a 100% success ratio getting those girls into college. »
    Melissa Rosenberg

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