coucher

English

Etymology

From Middle English coucher, from Anglo-Norman; equivalent to couch +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkaʊt͡ʃə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -aʊtʃə(ɹ)

Noun

coucher (plural couchers)

1. One who couches.
2. (papermaking) One who couches paper.
3. (UK, law, obsolete) A factor or agent resident in a country for traffic.
   • 1601, John Keymor, “Observation made upon the Dutch fishing”, in The Phenix:

     She [the Herring-Buss] imployeth […] at Land Viewers, Packers, […] Couchers to make the Herrings lawful Merchandizes.

4. The book in which a corporation or other body registers its particular acts.
   • 1559, Iniunctions geven by the Queenes Maiestie :

     bookes, and specially of Grayles, Couchers, Legends, Processionailes […]

Anagrams

• courche, recouch

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French coucher, from Old French couchier, from Latin collocāre (“set in place”). Doublet of colloquer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku.ʃe/

• audio

  (file)

Verb

coucher

1. (transitive) to lay, to lay down
2. (transitive) to put to bed, to put up (a lodger)
3. (reflexive) to go to bed
4. (reflexive) to set (of celestial objects)

   Antonym: se lever

   Quand le Soleil se couche-t-il ce soir ? ― When does the sun set?

   Le Soleil se lève à l’est et se couche à l’ouest.

   The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

   Les deux cercles polaires sont les parallèles des régions polaires au-delà desquels il existe au moins une journée où le Soleil ne se lève pas en hiver, et ne se couche pas en été.

   The two polar circles are the parallels of the polar regions beyond which there is at least one day when the Sun does not rise in winter and does not set in summer.

5. (transitive, agriculture) to lodge, to beat down (wheat)
6. (transitive) to layer (branches)
7. (transitive) to slant (writing)
8. (transitive, military) to aim at
9. (intransitive) to sleep
   • 1785, Donatien Alphonse François de Sade, Les 120 journées de Sodome, ou l'École du libertinage:

     Le soir, Michette est livrée en cul. Durcet prend la Martaine pour coucher dans sa chambre, à l’exemple du duc qui a Duclos et de Curval qui a Fanchon; cette fille prend sur lui le même empire lubrique que Duclos sur le duc.

     In the evening, Michette's arse is offered up. Durcet takes Martaine to sleep in his room, following the example of the duke, who has Duclos, and Curval, who has Fanchon; that girl has the same prurient hold on him as Duclos has on the duke.

10. (transitive with avec) to sleep with
    • Refrain of the song Lady Marmalade by Patti LaBelle:

      Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir ?

      Do you want to sleep with me tonight?

11. (intransitive) to spend the night
12. (intransitive) to lodge
13. (intransitive) to pack off to bed

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (to go to bed) aller au lit, se pieuter

Derived terms

• à coucher dehors
• chambre à coucher
• comme on fait son lit on se couche
• coucher sur le papier
• se coucher avec les poules
• vélo couché

Descendants

• → Esperanto: kuŝi
• → German: kusch
• → Italian: cucciare

Noun

coucher m (plural couchers)

1. going to bed
2. bedding
3. room and board
4. setting (sun)

   coucher de soleil — sunset, sundown

Further reading

• “coucher”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• cochour, cowchour, cowchur, cowcher

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman; equivalent to couche +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkuːtʃər/, /ˈkuːtʃuːr/

Noun

coucher (plural couchers)

1. A worker of inlaid gems and metals.
2. A book containing prayers; a prayer-book.
3. (rare) One who lies in bed (either due to necessity or laziness).
4. (rare) A breed of dog.

Descendants

• English: coucher
• Scots: coocher

References

• “cǒuchǒur, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-07-20.

Middle French

Alternative forms

• couchier

Etymology

From Old French couchier.

Verb

coucher

1. (transitive) to put to bed

Conjugation

• Middle French conjugation varies from one text to another. Hence, the following conjugation should be considered as typical, not as exhaustive.

Descendants

• French: coucher

Noun

coucher m (plural couchers)

1. setting (of the sun)