Pair /(pâr)/

Pair

n.
  1. A number of things resembling one another, or belonging together; a set; as, a pair or flight of stairs. “A pair of beads.” Chaucer. Beau. & Fl. “Four pair of stairs.” Macaulay. [Now mostly or quite disused.]
    Two crowns in my pocket, two pair of cards.
  2. Two things of a kind, similar in form, suited to each other, and intended to be used together; as, a pair of gloves or stockings; a pair of shoes.
  3. Two of a sort; a span; a yoke; a couple; a brace; as, a pair of horses; a pair of oxen.
  4. A married couple; a man and wife.
  5. A single thing, composed of two pieces fitted to each other and used together; as, a pair of scissors; a pair of pants; a pair of tongs; a pair of bellows.
  6. Two members of opposite parties or opinion, as in a parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to vote on a given question (in order, for example, to allow the members to be absent during the vote without affecting the outcome of the vote), or on issues of a party nature during a specified time; as, there were two pairs on the final vote. [Parliamentary Cant]
  7. In a mechanism, two elements, or bodies, which are so applied to each other as to mutually constrain relative motion. (Kinematics)

Phrases & Compounds
Pair royal
three things of a sort; -- used especially of playing cards in some games, as cribbage; as three kings, three “eight spots” etc. Four of a kind are called a double pair royal.
Syn. -- Pair, Flight, Set.

Originally, pair was not confined to two things, but was applied to any number of equal things (pares), that go together. Ben Jonson speaks of a pair (set) of chessmen; also, he and Lord Bacon speak of a pair (pack) of cards. A “pair of stairs” is still in popular use, as well as the later expression, “flight of stairs.”

Pair

v. i.

imp. & p. p. Paired; p. pr. & vb. n. Pairing

  1. To be joined in pairs; to couple; to mate, as for breeding.
  2. To suit; to fit, as a counterpart.
    My heart was made to fit and pair with thine.
  3. Same as To pair off. See phrase below.

Phrases & Compounds
To pair off
to separate from a group in pairs or couples;

Pair

v. t.
  1. To unite in couples; to form a pair of; to bring together, as things which belong together, or which complement, or are adapted to one another.
    Glossy jet is paired with shining white.
  2. To engage (one's self) with another of opposite opinions not to vote on a particular question or class of questions. [Parliamentary Cant]

Phrases & Compounds
Paired fins
See under Fin.

Pair

v. t.
  1. To impair. [Obs.]