couch / kouch/ • n. a long upholstered piece of furniture for several people to sit on.• v. [tr.] 1. (usu. be couched in) express (something) in language of a specified style: many false claims are couched in scientific jargon.2. [intr.] poetic/lit. lie down: two creatures, couched side by side in the deep grass. ∎  [tr.] lay down; spread out: pieces of eel couched on a bed of steaming rice.3. archaic lower (a spear) to the position for attack.4. [usu. as n.] (couching) chiefly hist. treat (a cataract) by pushing the lens of the eye downward and backward, out of line with the pupil.5. (in embroidery) fix (a thread) to a fabric by stitching it down flat with another thread: gold and silver threads couched by hand.

couch XIV. — (O)F. couche, f. coucher (whence couch vb. lay down, lie down XIV) :- L. collocāre lay in its place, COLLOCATE.