| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| pair |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  pâr |
| NOUN: | Inflected forms: pl. pair or pairs
1. Two corresponding persons or items, similar in form or function and matched or associated: a pair of shoes. 2. One object composed of two joined, similar parts that are dependent upon each other: a pair of pliers. 3a. Two persons who are married, engaged, or dating. b. Two persons who have something in common and are considered together: a pair of hunters. c. Two mated animals. d. Two animals joined together in work. 4. Games Two playing cards of the same denomination. 5. Two members of a deliberative body with opposing opinions on a given issue who agree to abstain from voting on the issue, thereby offsetting each other. 6. Chemistry An electron pair. | | VERB: | Inflected forms: paired, pair·ing, pairs
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To arrange in sets of two; couple. 2. To join in a pair; mate. 3. To provide a partner for. | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To form pairs or a pair. 2. To join in marriage; mate. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Old French paire, from Latin paria, equals, pl. of p r, a pair, from pr, equal. See per -2 in Appendix I. | | USAGE NOTE: | The noun pair can be followed by a singular or plural verb. The singular is always used when pair denotes the set taken as a single entity: This pair of shoes is on sale. A plural verb is used when the members are considered as individuals: The pair are working more harmoniously now. After a number other than one, pair itself can be either singular or plural, but the plural is now more common: She bought six pairs (or pair) of stockings.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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