1. [n]  a narrow bed on which a patient lies during psychiatric or psychoanalytic treatment
2. [n]  a flat coat of paint or varnish used by artists as a primer
3. [n]  an upholstered seat for more than one person
4. [v]  formulate in a particular style or language; "I wouldn't put it that way"; "She cast her request in very polite language"

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

2. \Couch\, v. i.
   1. To lie down or recline, as on a bed or other place of
      rest; to repose; to lie.
            Where souls do couch on flowers, we 'll hand in
            hand.                                 --Shak.
            If I court moe women, you 'll couch with moe men.
                                                  --Shak.
   2. To lie down for concealment; to hide; to be concealed; to
      be included or involved darkly.
            We 'll couch in the castle ditch, till we see the
            light of our fairies.                 --Shak.
            The half-hidden, hallf-revealed wonders, that yet
            couch beneath the words of the Scripture. --I.
                                                  Taylor.
   3. To bend the body, as in reverence, pain, labor, etc.; to
      stoop; to crouch. [Obs.]
            An aged squire That seemed to couch under his shield
            three-square.                         --Spenser.
   

3. \Couch\, n. [F. couche, OF. colche, culche, fr. colchier.
   See {Couch}, v. t. ]
   1. A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the
      United States, a lounge.
            Gentle sleep . . . why liest thou with the vile In
            loathsome beds, and leavest the kingly couch?
                                                  --Shak.
            Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch About
            him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. --Bryant.
   2. Any place for repose, as the lair of a beast, etc.
   3. A mass of steeped barley spread upon a floor to germinate,
      in malting; or the floor occupied by the barley; as, couch
      of malt.
   4. (Painting & Gilding) A preliminary layer, as of color,
      size, etc.
   

(Gen. 49:4; 1 Chr. 5:1; Job 7:13; Ps. 6:6, etc.), a seat for repose or rest. (See BED.)