'To couch a lance' definitions:

Definition of 'To couch a lance'

From: GCIDE

Couch \Couch\ (kouch), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Couched (koucht); p. pr. & vb. n. Couching.] [F. coucher to lay down, lie down, OF. colchier, fr. L. collocare to lay, put, place; col- + locare to place, fr. locus place. See Locus.] [1913 Webster]
1. To lay upon a bed or other resting place. [1913 Webster]
Where unbruised youth, with unstuffed brain, Does couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. To arrange or dispose as in a bed; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun. [1913 Webster]
The waters couch themselves as may be to the center of this globe, in a spherical convexity. --T. Burnet. [1913 Webster]
3. To lay or deposit in a bed or layer; to bed. [1913 Webster]
It is at this day in use at Gaza, to couch potsherds, or vessels of earth, in their walls. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
4. (Paper Making) To transfer (as sheets of partly dried pulp) from the wire cloth mold to a felt blanket, for further drying. [1913 Webster]
5. To conceal; to include or involve darkly. [1913 Webster]
There is all this, and more, that lies naturally couched under this allegory. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]
6. To arrange; to place; to inlay. [Obs.] --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
7. To put into some form of language; to express; to phrase; -- used with in and under. [1913 Webster]
A well-couched invective. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
I had received a letter from Flora couched in rather cool terms. --Blackw. Mag. [1913 Webster]
8. (Med.) To treat by pushing down or displacing the opaque lens with a needle; as, to couch a cataract. [1913 Webster]
To couch a spear or To couch a lance, to lower to the position of attack; to place in rest. [1913 Webster]
He stooped his head, and couched his spear, And spurred his steed to full career. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
To couch malt, to spread malt on a floor. --Mortimer. [1913 Webster]