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Pair

//pɛə// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun

1
A surname.

Noun

1
Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.
"Ting, ting, ting! went the bell again. Every body sat down; the curtain shook, rose sufficiently high to display several pair of yellow boots paddling about, and there it remained."
2
a poker hand with 2 cards of the same value wordnet
3
Two similar or identical things taken together; often followed by of.; One of the constituent items that make up a pair.
"[S]he had finished the second sock, and pulled its pair out of the bag before handing them to her husband."
4
two people considered as a unit wordnet
5
Two people in a relationship, partnership or friendship.
"Spouses should make a great pair."

Show 15 more definitions

6
a set of two similar things considered as a unit wordnet
7
Used with binary nouns (often in the plural to indicate multiple instances, since such nouns are plural only, except in some technical contexts).
"a pair of scissors; two pairs of spectacles; several pairs of jeans"
8
two items of the same kind wordnet
9
A couple of working animals attached to work together, as by a yoke.
"A pair is harder to drive than two mounts with separate riders."
10
A poker hand that contains two cards of identical rank, which cannot also count as a better hand.
11
A score of zero runs (a duck) in both innings of a two-innings match.
12
A double play, two outs recorded in one play. informal
"They turned a pair to end the fifth."
13
A doubleheader, two games played on the same day between the same teams. informal
"The Pirates took a pair from the Phillies."
14
A boat for two sweep rowers.
15
A pair of breasts. slang
"She's got a gorgeous pair."
16
A pair of testicles. slang
"Grow a pair, mate."
17
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. Australia
18
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.
"There were two pairs on the final vote."
19
A number of things resembling one another, or belonging together; a set. archaic
"Thou lieſt; I ha’ nothing buy my ſkin, / And my cloaths; my ſword here, and my ſelf; / Two Crowns in my pocket; two pair of Cards; / And three falſe Dice: I can ſwim like a fiſh / Raſcal, nothing to hinder me."
20
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

1
To group into one or more sets of two. transitive
"The wedding guests were paired boy/girl and groom's party/bride's party."
2
To impair, to make worse. obsolete, transitive
"Why dreghis þou þis dole, & deris þi seluyn? / Lefe of þis Langore, as my lefe brother, / Þat puttes þe to payne and peires þi sight."
3
bring two objects, ideas, or people together wordnet
4
to link two electronic devices wirelessly together, especially through a protocol such as Bluetooth.
"It was not possible to pair my smartphone with an incompatible smartwatch."
5
To become worse, to deteriorate. intransitive, obsolete

Show 8 more definitions

6
engage in sexual intercourse wordnet
7
To bring two (animals, notably dogs) together for mating. transitive
8
arrange in pairs wordnet
9
To come together for mating. intransitive
"The raven, in short, when he pairs, which he does at the earliest moment permitted by the laws of ravendom, pairs for life […]"
10
occur in pairs wordnet
11
To engage (oneself) with another of opposite opinions not to vote on a particular question or class of questions. slang
12
form a pair or pairs wordnet
13
To suit; to fit, as a counterpart. intransitive
"My Heart was made to fit and pair with thine, / Simple and plain, and fraught with artleſs Tenderneſs; / Form’d to receive one Love, and only one, / But pleas’d and proud, and dearly fond of that, / It knows not what there can be in Variety, / And would not if it could."

Etymology

Etymology 1

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”)

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

From Middle English pairen, peiren, shortened form of apeiren, empeiren, from Old French empeirier, empoirier, from Late Latin peiōrō.

Etymology 4

From the German surname, probably a variant of Baer, from the noun Bär (“bear”).

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