'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]