pair
Noun
- a set of two similar things considered as a unit
- two items of the same kind
- two people considered as a unit
- a poker hand with 2 cards of the same value
- Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.
- Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.
- One of the constituent items that make up a pair.
- Two people in a relationship, partnership or friendship.
- Used with binary nouns (often in the plural to indicate multiple instances, since such nouns are plural only, except in some technical contexts)
- A couple of working animals attached to work together, as by a yoke.
- A poker hand that contains two cards of identical rank, which cannot also count as a better hand.
- A score of zero runs (a duck) in both innings of a two-innings match.
- A double play, two outs recorded in one play.
- A doubleheader, two games played on the same day between the same teams
- A boat for two sweep rowers.
- A pair of breasts
- A pair of testicles
- The exclusion of one member of a parliamentary party from a vote, if a member of the other party is absent for important personal reasons.
- Two members of opposite parties or opinion, as in a parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to vote on a given question, or on issues of a party nature during a specified time.
- A number of things resembling one another, or belonging together; a set.
- In a mechanism, two elements, or bodies, which are so applied to each other as to mutually constrain relative motion; named in accordance with the motion it permits, as in turning pair, sliding pair, twisting pair.
Verb
Verb Forms: paired, pairing, pairs
- To arrange or form into a set of two.
- form a pair or pairs
- "The two old friends paired off"
- bring two objects, ideas, or people together
- "The student was paired with a partner for collaboration on the project"
- occur in pairs
- arrange in pairs
- "Pair these numbers"
- engage in sexual intercourse
- To group into one or more sets of two.
- to link two electronic devices wirelessly together, especially through a protocol such as Bluetooth.
- To bring two (animals, notably dogs) together for mating.
- To come together for mating.
- To engage (oneself) with another of opposite opinions not to vote on a particular question or class of questions.
- To suit; to fit, as a counterpart.
- To impair, to make worse.
- To become worse, to deteriorate.
Examples
- A pair is harder to drive than two mounts with separate riders.
- a pair of scissors; two pairs of spectacles; several pairs of jeans
- Grow a pair, mate.
- I couldn't decide which of the pair of designer shirts I preferred, so I bought the pair.
- It was not possible to pair my smartphone with an incompatible smartwatch.
- Players must PAIR letters carefully to maximize their score in Scrabble.
- She's got a gorgeous pair.
- Spouses should make a great pair.
- The Pirates took a pair from the Phillies.
- The wedding guests were paired boy/girl and groom's party/bride's party.
- There were two pairs on the final vote.
- They turned a pair to end the fifth.
Origin / Etymology
From Middle English paire, from Old French paire, from Latin paria (“equals”), neuter plural of par (“pair”). Related to pār (“equal”, adjective). Compare Saterland Frisian Poor (“pair”), West Frisian pear (“pair”), Dutch paar (“pair”), German Paar (“pair”), Italian paio (“pair”)
Synonyms
brace, copulate, couple, couplet, distich, duad, duet, duo, dyad, geminate, match, mate, pair off, partner off, span, twain, twin, twosome, yoke, duplet, pair of spectacles, spectacles
Scrabble Score: 6
pair: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordpair: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
pair: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary