vbl. sb. [f. COUPLE v. + -ING1.]
1. Joining in couples, pairing; linking: see the vb.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr., 34. Lufe propirly es a full cuppillynge of þe lufande and þe lufed to-gedyre as Godd and a saule in-to ane.
1388. Wyclif, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 11. Trees to the ioynyngis of the bildyng, and to the coupling of housis.
a. 1564. Becon, Art. Chr. Relig., Prayers (1844), 463. In the coupling together of the christian members.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xix. (Arb.), 222. We vse sometimes to proceede all by single words, without any close or coupling.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 212 b. Couplings in lawfull marriage.
1700. Congreve, Way of World, I. ii. Sir, there’s such coupling at Pancras, that they stand behind one another, as ’twere in a country dance.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Ability, Wks. (Bohn), II. 37. Their realistic logic, or coupling of means to ends.
1878. F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 622. Any detaching or coupling of vehicles.
2. The pairing of the sexes; sexual union.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 72. A goostly mariage, wilk þe bodily copling performiþ.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (1878), 247. The fleshly coplinge which before the sin of Adam was in marriage an office or virtuous deed.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., II. vii. 199. The promiscuous couplings of Males and Females of several Species.
attrib. 1697. Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. vi. 160. This was their [turtles’] coupling-time.
3. concr. Anything that couples, or is used to join together.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Col., II. 6. Deriued into euery member through the ioyntes and couplynges.
1611. Bible, Ex. xxxvi. 11. And he made loopes of blew, on the edge of one curtaine, from the seluedge in the coupling.
1643. Lightfoot, Glean. Ex. (1648), 42. These two peeces are called couplings.
† 4. = COUPLE sb. 1. Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 106. They take off their Dog couplings.
1687. Lond. Gaz., No. 2254/4. A handsom young white Hound of the King’s … slipt his Couplings, and run out of the Mews. Ibid. (1695), 3080/4. A … Spaniel Dog … a pair of Couplings about his Neck.
† 5. A rafter; = COUPLE sb. 8. Obs.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., II. (1586), 110. For Cupplinges and Rafters of houses, the Elme.
1611. Bible, 2 Chron. xxxiv. 11. Timber for couplings, and to floore the houses.
6. In Machinery, etc.: The name of various contrivances for connecting parts of constructions or machinery, esp. in order to transmit motion. a. A contrivance for connecting the ends of shafting together, either permanently, or so as to admit of their being disconnected at pleasure: they are of various kinds, as box coupling, clutch coupling, etc.
1814. R. Buchanan, Mill Work (1823), 407. It is … often requisite to connect two or more shafts together. These connections are denominated couplings.
b. The chain or link connecting two carriages or trucks of a railway train.
1887. Hall Caine, Son of Hagar, II. III. v. 159. The engine and three of the front carriages had broken from their couplings and plunged on to the bank.
c. Carriage-building. (a) The connection or joint upon which the fore-carriage turns or locks. (b) The attachment of whatever kind uniting the hind to the fore wheels.
1874. in Knight, Dict. Mech.
d. In an organ; = COUPLER.
7. Of a dog or other animal: see quot. (Cf. COUPLED 3.)
1881. V. Shaw, Bk. of Dog, 38. Couplings, the length or space between the tops of the shoulder-blades and tops of the hip-joints, or huckle-bones. The term denotes the proportionate length of a dog, which is spoken of as short or long in the couplings.
8. attrib. and Comb., as coupling-ledge; coupling-box, a metal box joining the ends of two shafts, so that they may revolve together; coupling-chain, the chain that couples railway carriages, trucks, etc.; coupling-link (see quot.); coupling-pin, a pin used for coupling railway carriages, etc. (see also quot. 1874); coupling-pole, the pole connecting the fore and hind gear of a wagon (cf. 6 c); coupling-reins, the reins that couple a pair of horses together; coupling-rod, the rod that couples the wheels of some locomotive engines; coupling-strap, a strap for linking animals together, used esp. with restive horses running in pairs.
1814. R. Buchanan, Mill Work (1823), 413. Couplings which have no *coupling boxes are denominated clutches or glands.
1831. N. Wood, Railroads (1838), 220. The *coupling or dragging chains are fixed to these [springs].
1858. Mech. Mag., LXIX. 281. It is well known how severely coupling chains suffer from … sudden jerks.
1852. Seidel, Organ, 92. Some call the gemshorn a *coupling-flute. Ibid., 59. These ledges are called *coupling-ledges … they are between the two parts of the slide.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., *Coupling-link, an open or split link for connecting two objects, or forming a detachable section in a chain. Ibid., *Coupling-pin (Vehicle), A bolt which fastens the hind hounds to the coupling-pole, which is attached to the fore-gears by the king-bolt.
1887. M. Roberts, Western Avernus, 239. He … fetches a coupling-pin (of iron, about one inch thick and ten inches long) … and lets drive at me.
1794. W. Felton, Carriages (1801), II. 137. The *coupling reins, which are what both horses are checked by, so as to turn one way, being fastened from the rein of one horse to the bitt of the other.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xxxvi. The buckles of the leaders’ coupling-reins.
1869. Eng. Mech., 19 March, 579/2. The *coupling-rods … were made without brasses.
a. 1732. Gay, Pastorals, iii. Let hares and hounds in *coupling-straps unite.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., Coupling-strap, a strap connected to the off bit-ring of the off horse, thence through the near bit-ring, and leading back to the harness of the near horse. Used with artillery horses, and for restive horses in ordinary service.
