pair

[ pair ]

/ pɛər /

noun, plural pairs, pair.

two identical, similar, or corresponding things that are matched for use together: a pair of gloves; a pair of earrings.

something consisting of or regarded as having two parts or pieces joined together: a pair of scissors; a pair of slacks.

two individuals who are similar or in some way associated: a pair of liars; a pair of seal pups.

a married, engaged, or dating couple.

two mated animals.

a span or team: a pair of horses.

Government.

two members on opposite sides in a deliberative body who for convenience, as to permit absence, arrange together to forgo voting on a given occasion.
the arrangement thus made.

Cards.

two playing cards of the same denomination without regard to suit or color.
pairs, two card players who are matched together against different contestants.

pairs, pair skating.

Also called kinematic pair. Mechanics. two parts or pieces so connected that they mutually constrain relative motion.

Philately. two postage stamps joined together either vertically or horizontally.

a set or combination of more than two objects forming a collective whole: a pair of beads.

verb (used with object)

to arrange or designate in pairs or groups of two: She paired dancers for the waltz contest.

to form into a pair, as by matching, joining, etc.; match; couple: to pair freshly washed socks.

(of animals) to cause to mate.

verb (used without object)

to separate into pairs or groups of two (usually followed by off ): to pair off for a procession.

to form a pair or pairs.

to be a member of a pair.

to match with or resemble another.

to unite in close association with another, as in a business partnership, friendship, marriage, etc.

(of animals) to mate.

Government. (in a deliberative body) to form or arrange a pair.

Idioms for pair

grow a pair, Slang: Vulgar. to act in a stereotypically manly way, as by being brave: Stop the whining and grow a pair!

Origin of pair

1250–1300; Middle English paire < Old French < Latin pāria, plural (taken as feminine singular) of pār a pair. See par¹

synonym study for pair

1. Pair, brace, couple, span, yoke are terms for groups of two. Pair is used of two things naturally or habitually associated in use, or necessary to each other to make a complete set: a pair of dice. It is used also of one thing composed of two similar and complementary parts: a pair of trousers. Brace is a hunter's term, used of a pair of dogs, ducks, etc., or a pair of pistols or slugs: a brace of partridges. In couple the idea of combination or interdependence has become greatly weakened; it may be used loosely for two of anything ( a couple of apples ), and even for more than two: I have to see a couple of people. Span is used of a matched pair of horses harnessed together side by side. Yoke applies to the two animals hitched together under a yoke for drawing and pulling: a yoke of oxen.

usage note for pair

When used without a modifier, pairs is the only possible plural: Pairs of skaters glided over the ice. When modified by a number, pairs is the more common form, especially referring to persons: Six pairs of masked dancers led the procession. The unmarked plural pair is used mainly in reference to inanimate objects or nonhumans: He has three pair (or pairs ) of loafers. Two pair (or pairs ) of barn owls have nested on our property.
Pair signifying two individuals can take either a singular or plural verb, but it is usually followed by a plural verb and referred to by a plural pronoun: The guilty pair have not been seen since their escape.
In the sense “a set or combination of more than two objects forming a collective whole,” pair occurs chiefly in fixed phrases: a pair of beads; a pair of stairs. This use is now somewhat old-fashioned. See also collective noun, couple.

OTHER WORDS FROM pair

pair·wise, adverb un·paired, adjective well-paired, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pair

pair pare payer pear couple pair several (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words nearby pair

painter's colic, painterly, painting, paintwork, painty, pair, pair annihilation, pair bond, pair of compasses, pair off, pair production

Definition for pairs (2 of 2)

pair skating

or pairs skating

noun

a form of competitive skating in which a man and a woman skate together in performing a choreographed series of jumps, lifts, and other acrobatic moves to a selection of music.

Also called pairs.

Example sentences from the Web for pairs

Typically, aircraft will work in pairs where the flight lead will make an initial pass to mark a target with rockets.

New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019 |Dave Majumdar |December 31, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Just over ten years ago he got a couple of pairs for Christmas.

The Hot Designer Who Hates Fashion: VK Nagrani Triumphs His Own Way |Tom Teodorczuk |December 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For such songs, she pairs raunchy lyrics with vivid imagery.

From Church of Christ to Pansexual Rapper |Tyler Gillespie |November 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He packed only two pairs of pants, three shirts, and one toothbrush, then set out for Africa with Karl Johnson.

The Original Ebola Hunter |Abby Haglage |September 14, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

While caring for patients, clinical staff is heavily robed with gown and apron; three pairs of gloves; a hood; and goggles.

Two Americans Have Now Been Diagnosed With Ebola in Record Outbreak |Kent Sepkowitz |July 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They have now been shown to possess six pairs (fig. 47), as do Limulus and Scorpio.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 3 |Various
The Hyoid of the dog consists of a transverse median piece, the basi-hyal (fig. 72, 32), from which arise two pairs of cornua.

The Vertebrate Skeleton |Sidney H. Reynolds
What puzzled me at first was the fact that there were marks from only two pairs of boots, both of the regulation pattern.

Jim Davis |John Masefield
Other similar machines which followed carried from forty to a hundred pairs of men.

When the World Shook |H. Rider Haggard
A battery is represented by a number of pairs of such lines, as in Fig. 67.

Cyclopedia of Telephony & Telegraphy Vol. 1 |Kempster Miller

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (1 of 3)

pairs

/ (pɛəz) /

pl n

another name for Pelmanism (def. 2)

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (2 of 3)

pair ¹

/ (pɛə) /

noun plural pairs or functioning as singular or plural pair

two identical or similar things matched for use together a pair of socks

two persons, animals, things, etc, used or grouped together a pair of horses; a pair of scoundrels

an object considered to be two identical or similar things joined together a pair of trousers

two people joined in love or marriage

a male and a female animal of the same species, esp such animals kept for breeding purposes

parliamentary procedure

two opposed members who both agree not to vote on a specified motion or for a specific period of time
the agreement so made

two playing cards of the same rank or denomination a pair of threes

one member of a matching pair I can't find the pair to this glove

cricket a pair of spectacles (the cricketing term) See spectacles (def. 2)

rowing See pair-oar

British and US dialect a group or set of more than two

logic maths

a set with two members
an ordered set with two members

verb

(often foll by off) to arrange or fall into groups of twos

to group or be grouped in matching pairs to pair socks

to join or be joined in marriage; mate or couple

(when tr, usually passive) parliamentary procedure to form or cause to form a pair 18 members were paired for the last vote

Word Origin for pair

C13: from Old French paire, from Latin paria equal (things), from pār equal

usage for pair

Like other collective nouns, pair takes a singular or a plural verb according to whether it is seen as a unit or as a collection of two things: the pair are said to dislike each other; a pair of good shoes is essential

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (3 of 3)

pair ²

/ (per) /

adjective

a Scot word for poor

Idioms and Phrases with pairs

pair

In addition to the idiom beginning with pair

pair off

also see:

show one's (a clean pair of) heels

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pair

noun, plural pairs, pair.

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Idioms for pair

Origin of pair

synonym study for pair

usage note for pair

OTHER WORDS FROM pair

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pair

Words nearby pair

Definition for pairs (2 of 2)

or pairs skating

noun

Example sentences from the Web for pairs

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (1 of 3)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (2 of 3)

noun plural pairs or functioning as singular or plural pair

verb

Word Origin for pair

usage for pair

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (3 of 3)

adjective

Idioms and Phrases with pairs

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pair

noun, plural pairs, pair.

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Idioms for pair

Origin of pair

synonym study for pair

usage note for pair

OTHER WORDS FROM pair

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pair

Words nearby pair

Definition for pairs (2 of 2)

or pairs skating

noun

Words related to pairs

Example sentences from the Web for pairs

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (1 of 3)

pl n

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (2 of 3)

noun plural pairs or functioning as singular or plural pair

verb

Word Origin for pair

usage for pair

British Dictionary definitions for pairs (3 of 3)

adjective

Idioms and Phrases with pairs