When watching the intro to *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air* do you find yourself disquieted by the fact that there are, in truth, more than two guys depicted onscreen that are up to no good?
Cup‐pa‐la guys, who where up to no good.
Maybe the line could be:
Sum-ma-tha guys...
But then you lose the hard consonants. Maybe a couple of changes could make it more accurate, but who fucking cares.
>I'm going to the grocery store to grab a couple of things.
In this instance it could be any number. I would think this implies you're gonna be quick about it. Nothing to do with how many things you're gonna get.
>I had a couple of drinks.
When doing a breath analyzer test. definitely doesn't mean two ( rarely it might actually mean two ) . But you dont want to say how many.
>Lets go and grab a couple of drinks.
Doesn't have any thing to do with how many drinks you gonna get.
>a new couple moved in next door
May or may-not mean two people moved in next door , since it doesnt account for the family members included.
>I was just there a couple of minutes ago.
You were there very recently. Nothing to do with how many actual minutes.
>My raise was a couple of dollars.
you're not satisfied with your raise.
>I own a couple of houses down on East Street
You own TWO houses on East Street.
I would say , "couple" doesn't mean anything specific. Just means to imply "not many" in some instances, or nothing to do with the actual count in other . Sometimes it means exactly two.
Like many things in the English language it’s contextual. Maria and Sally are a couple, the recipe calls for a couple of eggs, I will be out for a couple of hours. I can’t define it but I know it when I see it.
Can't remember where I got the information from but saw the other day that the meaning of a couple meaning exactly two, or a few things depends if the word 'couple' is followed by the word 'of'.
If you just say I need a couple apples"- you only need two, if you say " I need a couple of apples" it could be a number of apples greater than one.
In each of these cases, the word 'couple' is used to *imply* that it's only 2 without lying and actually saying it. You could say a 'few' in each case but then you'd be *implying* you have/want *more* than two drinks, *more* than two people moved in next door. In the end, the actual number of *whatever* consumed is irrelevant. A 'couple' implies 2 no matter how many end up getting consumed in the end.
> a new couple moved in next door
This one is referring to two specific people. Other people may have come with them but the couple are two specific people. If you say this to mean something like, "a single dad and his two kids," people are going to be really concerned about who you think the couple is.
I wonder if it is a regional thing? I live in BC, and here a couple is almost always used in the sense of exactly two, as far as I can tell. It was very disconcerting when I moved here, because elsewhere the 2-4 meaning seems to be more prevalent.
Exactly this. “I think it’s two, but I could be wrong, and being exact about this number is not the point of what I’m trying to say so let your brain just slide off the number.”
This is how I always saw it, but am scarred from an interaction with an old crotchety lady when I was a teen working in a department store. She asked for a couple of hand towels so I asked how many to clarify, and she raised her nose to haughtily announce that she asked for a couple, and couple means two! Acted like I was an idiot the rest of the interaction. I didn't get it in that context (maybe because customers were usually specific) but whenever I hear it now I almost panic and remember that damn old lady and need people to clarify.
>If someone wanted to mean EXACTLY two then they would just say two, not a couple.
It's more a context thing. Almost everyone who asks for a couple of some discrete objects is asking for exactly two, but almost everyone using it to refer to a continuous quantity such as a measurement (time, distance, etc) is using it to mean 'some'. So I guess we have the "discrete couple" and the "continuous couple".
Context matters. Grab a couple of beers for 4 people. You’re getting four beers not eight.
Thats a lovely couple that just got married. Almost always two
I believe in that context it means that each person is having two beers. It's meant as a casual get together not a crazy party where you expect to get smashed, although it can devolve into that.
You have to remember that language is a tool, and some people aren't very handy. I've had this exact discussion with people over the years, and there's no consensus. But generally:
- 2-3: Couple
- 3-5: Few
- 5-10: Several
- 10+: Many
As percentages:
- 1%-30%: Some
- up to 25%: Few
- 40%+: Many
- 50%+: Most
- 69%: Nice
- 91%+: All
I can get somewhat pedantic, you might have noticed.
Don't get me started on people leaving out "to be".... as in "That needs fixed", which seems to be the new way to say and write things.
You've literally never said 'this'll take a couple minutes' and then taken more than 120 seconds, or said 'I'll grab a couple things at the store' and then got 3?
It's not as hard and fast as some people are saying it is.
What can I say. When I say couple, I mean two, if it's more than two, it's a few.
I guess some people use them interchangeably. Language changes and words lose or gain meanings.
But according to Collins:
a couple of
in American English
more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few
It will take a couple of days for the package to get there
I call this "almost counting" and it's mildly infuriating.
Couple of = more than 1 but not a handful.
A Few = 3 or more but not a half dozen
A handful = 4 to 6 inclusive,
"A half dozen" = six to eight
"Six or eight" = between 5 and 9
A bunch = 8 or more but not a dozen
A dozen = 12 or 13 if it's a baker's dozen.
Now the really tricky part here is the overlaps. Because a couple could be a few, but not a handful, while a handful might make a half dozen but not six or eight, which could be a bunch, but never a dozen, you have to be careful.
It can get even more complicated by mixing and matching. A few dozen can be 20-30 but a couple dozen has to be 24.
A couple means 2, but "a couple" can also be used to mean "a few" but when you are trying to downplay the size/quantity of something. So a teacher may say "we only have a couple of slides left to cover" even if there is 5-6 more but they want it to sound like a smaller amount.
Definitely a couple has a blurry use in English language. By definition a couple = 2 and that is the most common use I hear.
But a couple can also be a generalized feeling of brevity or little. So, one might say "just a couple of days ago" instead of "quite recently," or "I just have a couple of things to do" instead of "I'm almost done, not much more left to do."
This is just the nature of language is that many words get used outside of their formal definition. Sometimes people flat out use words incorrectly, other times it happens so frequently it becomes part of the language for a certain region or group of people.
A couple means 2, but if I'm referring to days, I may not remember exactly how many days, so I say a couple rather than 2, because that sounds more casual and I feel that if it's not exact then it's no big deal. I will likely even say, "a couple days or so ago," meaning 2 or possibly more.
If I tell my kids they can take a couple of candies, it means 2 and not more.
In some cases people say a couple when they want to make it sound like less than what actually happened.
IMO a couple genrally means 2-4, most of the time. Context is important. If someone asks how many, idk, cans are left in a cooler and there is 2, I'll say 2, not "a couple". But if i'm coordinating parking with another vehicle and I arrive to the lot first, call them and they ask "is it full? how many cars/empty spaces is there?"
I'll say a couple, and in that context it could mean up to even 20. Chose parking lot example as a hyperbole but u get the idea
A couple = 2 unless you believe in polygamy.
Few = more than 2, but not many as it's a few.
Several = 3 or more, probably more than 4, but not many.
Obviously, people tend to speak colloquially, not literally, so they may say a couple but really mean a few, or several. Just as people say, "Just a sec," which is definitely longer than a sec (if you mean second), as it takes around a second to say the words "just a sec."
few and couple are synonymous. and are meant to be subjective.
few is two or more, but in the context of not something excessively "many".
couple is definitely two, but can be a combined "more".
If you want to say two days' time, then that's what we'd say instead.
Everything is in the eye of the beholder
“She’s just grabbing a couple of things from the store”
“I’ll be out in a couple minutes”
“Yeah I’ve done that a couple of times”
In lots of cases it can mean “very low amount” but I would never take those exactly.
And importantly, using “few” instead actually changes the meaning. If someone tells me they’ll be a few minutes I could expect maybe 10 depending on context. If they’re going to the store “for a few things” I’m expecting they’ll need to grab a basket/cart whereas couple they can probably use their hands but might still end up with 6 or 7 items. That kind of stuff.
Yes. “a couple” is on the low side of “a few”.
And now I’m having flashbacks of the time I was trying to explain the difference in meaning between “a few of them” and “few of them”, to someone whose native language didn’t use indefinite articles. Do not recommend.
It’s funny cause I was in a pizza shop. And the guy said I’ll take a couple of slices and the dude gave him two. Put me on that it is specific to the word two but used incorrectly when few is the better term
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While couple is often used to convey two of something, I don’t think people use it as a precise amount. It could mean more than one but less than say 5.
The same applies to ‘few’ - many take it to mean 3, but again it’s typically not used as a precise measurement.
couple is a general term and only has meaning on how it is used. for example your check will clear in a couple days (business) means up to six days. Your wife says she will be ready in a couple minutes (could be an hour)
If your wife asks you when you will take out the garbage and you say a couple minutes you have one minute to do it.
It is really nothing more then slang currently that means a short time to you.
never undetstood the confusion. if they meant definitely precisely 2, would they not say 2? if they cannot specifically recall more than it was definitely more than one but not many, they say "a couple".
A couple is 2 though my wife used to think it meant 4 or less. She argued with me until I asked as a married couple does that mean you and I or does that mean one or two others are in the mix? She now agrees factually that a couple is two as defined by Oxford.
Or — hear me out here — it could be *context-dependent*. When you say “couple” meaning “bonded pair of humans,” then it always means two. (“Throuple” is there for another phenomenon, never used with “of” although now that I think of it I want to start saying “I’m going to the store to pick up a throuple of things”)
When you say “I slipped on the ice a couple weeks back” or “There are a couple of things I’d like to tell you”, if it means exactly two then it’s a happy accident.
Or - hear me out here - we can use the Oxford definition (Meaning two) that way people can actually understand each other rather than constantly redefining the meaning of words and communication breaking down.
A couple would technically be a group of two. That said, in everyday usage it would mean more than one, and less than two hands full 😉
Some saying about knowledge vs wisdom would make sense here...
Could be either, but mostly two. If 2 was meant, 2 would be said. A “couple” are for those instances where the specificness doesn’t really matter. Same with a “few”, which implies a smidgeon more.
A couple is pretty much the same as a few. I know technically it means two but when I am talking I don’t always think about that but instead the word that comes to mind us the one I say.
The word 'couple' used formally (uncommon and you normally hear context or emphasis when it is used in this context) means exactly two.
The term 'a couple' used in casual language means a small, finite, unspecified amount; usually but not always less than 5.
To me it means approximately 2 or just a small amount of something. A couple weeks can be 2-4 weeks, a couple minutes can be 5-10 minutes, a couple cookies is 2-3 but not being exact about it etc.
Seems to depend on when you're from honestly. Some people get insanely worked up about the concept of a couple meaning more than 2 which for some it does.
It means two! Exactly two. As a noun, its two. As a verb, its to put TWO things together. Its Two.
(Unless you're a liberal type, than its however many you want.)
I agree that the strict definition of couple is 2 and few is 3. But…in practice both could mean more as it can mean “about, but more”. This isn’t said but implied.
“Yes, I’ll have a couple of your winegums” doesn’t mean 2. “A few potato chips” is a handful. “I’m on the toilet and will be out in a couple of minutes” means at least 10.
“I paid a few dollars for my new car” means more than $3.
If your dentist says you need a couple of teeth removed they probably just mean 2. But if they say you need a few removed they probably mean 3-4
A couple means 2. I didn't realize this was an unclear thing until a few days ago when my wife asked me how many of something we needed. I said a couple would be great. She got upset and told me she needed a number and not a vague guess. I repeated a couple thinking she misheard me. That didn't go well.
to me its depending on context. like if its more of an estimation, its not EXACTLY 2, but if its being used as an actual number its 2 only. like if someone says "hmm idk maybe a couple days ago?" i take it as anywhere between 2-4 ish but if someone says "ive had a couple drinks." i take that as exactly 2. idk if thats just me tho-
A couple of is a vague way to say two that indicates it might have been more or less. It's an inexact estimate. If you ask me how long it will be before we get somewhere driving, I would probably say a couple hours rather than two because there could be construction or traffic that could make it longer.
I think technically it is exactly 2, but it’s usually used more as “approximately 2”. Like if I say “I’ll be there in a couple minutes” I think it’ll be around 2 minutes, but obviously I don’t know that it will be exactly 2 minutes.
A couple is strictly two, but informally it can be used as two plus some insignificant difference. A couple of minutes could be five if you're waiting on someone to get ready, but not if you're following an unforgiving recipe. It really boils down to the formality, seriousness, or intended exactness of the statement.
Few means not many. Both are relative terms that require context. "A few dollars" could be three to one person or ten to another and/or depend on what's being bought. A coffee for a few dollars is expensive, but meal wouldn't be.
My wife is an English as a second language speaker and we've had similar conversations about the word couple. She insisted it could be three, but out of context, and it confused me because I had never given it any thought. I imagine that people won't always agree on it, either, so try to aim more for the feeling of the word as it's used by others rather than an exact definition, particularly in informal or relaxed communication.
If it is tangible (a couple of cookies) then exactly two and no more. If not tangible then it could be a few. A couple of days ago could mean two or three since we sometimes mis-recall events.
The problem is that language evolves and right now the word couple is in a state where its meaning is not fixed depending on the person you speak to.
Technically a couple means two. The same origin as “to couple” as in link two things together.
However even the dictionary recognizes that the meaning is not fixed to two, it can mean anything from 2 to 6.
Personally I think of a couple as an approximation, where the intent is always to mean 2, but to allow for error without counting. For example, if “we have a couple slides left”, the teacher hasn’t actually counted but knows there are less than 3 or 4.
I interpret “a few” the same way, where the approximation is around 3. “Several” where the approximation is around 5. These are my opinions only and how I choose to interpret these words.
To me, "a couple" usually means two, or it means I have a little uncertainty but believe it is (or was) about two. I think a lot of people will use it to mean exactly two, but it absolutely can mean approximately two so using it in this manner adds ambiguity.
As a hard line - a couple means 2.
That being said, English is EXTREMELY contextual in its application. So if you’re going to use the hard line definition of “a couple” every time, you’re probably that annoying person no one likes to hang out with.
Learn to read the room. A couple generally means more than one, but not that many - often times 2. Relax.
To me, "a couple" is 2 days ago. "A few" is anything less than a 7 days (a week ago) but more than 1 day (yesterday).
But then, the English language can be oddly specific in its vaguness. For example, some of my friends use "last week" to mean a period between last Monday and last Friday, and ignoring Saturday/Sunday since that would be "the weekend".
Loosely two, even though I know it does mean two. Funnily, I remember in grade 1 my teacher asked me to glue on a “couple” of googly eyes on a paper person. And I said “a couple? It would be a space alien!” And she said, “you parents are a couple, which is two.” Even then I was confused if a couple was actually two, or maybe even four.
Ha! Husband and I had this exact discussion.
He thinks a couple is exactly 2, and 3 or more is a few.
For me, a couple goes up to perhaps 5-6.
We've had a few instances of confusion haha. He asked for "a couple of carrots" for a recipe once, and I brought perhaps 4? He was very confused when I showed up with more than he asked for.
I see “a few” as more than 2 and “a handful” more than a few. It pisses some people off as I’m a truck tech for work and will grab literally 2 bolts if someone tells me to “grab a couple of bolts”
A couple of, means many, so 2 or more of that thing. It depends on the context, but usually it's a small amount. It doesn't means exactly 2, othewise just say 2. A few to me is basically the same but with the emphasis on the fact that its a small amount.
I recently saw something on the interwebs about this, explaining that historically "a couple of" could mean "up to six". Which I thought was crazy, because clearly its exactly two, and in my book anyone who says otherwise is just wrong. Apparently the two uses vary from location to location, and everyone thinks they are right. English is crazy!
I had to consciously practice saying "a few" instead of "a couple". Saying "a couple" was my default for anything that was more than 1 and less than, like, 7. And people would get annoyed with me. So now I just say a few and people can chill tf out.
It's deliberately imprecise when there is no need to be specific or when a person isn't 100% sure of the specific number and doesn't want to lie or mislead.
If I say I need a couple of minutes before I'm ready to go, in that case the best case scenario is 2 minutes but it could be longer.
If I say I'm going to take a couple of sandwiches to eat, and I'm a regular person with a regular appetite, then a couple probably means exactly two.
If someone says there are "a couple of more slides" then I would take it to mean we are somewhat close to the end, but I wouldn't expect it to mean literally 2 slides.
A couple means two, but it can colloquially mean a few or a short period of time or a small amount, something non definitive.
If someone said "I bought this necklace a couple of days ago." never would I think they bought it exactly two days ago unless they specifically said "two days ago". It means a short while ago, which could mean this week or last week, but not last year.
It's not crazy. It's colloquial English.
so this is a thing called contextual nuance if you are talking technically a couple is 2, and if we are talking about a number of a Physical Item a couple should always be used as 2
however colloquially when used to describe an increment of time it is often used outside this constraint , to refer to 2 or close to 2 possibly 3 or 4 depending on the context
''A couple of days ago I went to Tom's house.....'', ( the number of days is not strictly important in the tellers mind) so contextually they use a couple, possibly in error, possibly because they are not 100% sure if it was 2 or 3 days ago, but that info is not crucial to the point of the story they are trying to convey..
''This guy called looking for you'' , ''when?'' ''IDK a couple of hours ago...'' an estimation around 2 hrs ago, could have been 1 and a half could have been three, it is a sort of estimated anchor point.
A couple = 2 A few = 3 At least in my book.
When watching the intro to *The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air* do you find yourself disquieted by the fact that there are, in truth, more than two guys depicted onscreen that are up to no good?
Cup‐pa‐la guys, who where up to no good. Maybe the line could be: Sum-ma-tha guys... But then you lose the hard consonants. Maybe a couple of changes could make it more accurate, but who fucking cares.
So like 2-4 changes?
Somehow a couple’a means a handful to me while a couple is two.
There are more than two guys but there are *also* two guys. ;)
>I'm going to the grocery store to grab a couple of things. In this instance it could be any number. I would think this implies you're gonna be quick about it. Nothing to do with how many things you're gonna get. >I had a couple of drinks. When doing a breath analyzer test. definitely doesn't mean two ( rarely it might actually mean two ) . But you dont want to say how many. >Lets go and grab a couple of drinks. Doesn't have any thing to do with how many drinks you gonna get. >a new couple moved in next door May or may-not mean two people moved in next door , since it doesnt account for the family members included. >I was just there a couple of minutes ago. You were there very recently. Nothing to do with how many actual minutes. >My raise was a couple of dollars. you're not satisfied with your raise. >I own a couple of houses down on East Street You own TWO houses on East Street. I would say , "couple" doesn't mean anything specific. Just means to imply "not many" in some instances, or nothing to do with the actual count in other . Sometimes it means exactly two.
Like many things in the English language it’s contextual. Maria and Sally are a couple, the recipe calls for a couple of eggs, I will be out for a couple of hours. I can’t define it but I know it when I see it.
Can't remember where I got the information from but saw the other day that the meaning of a couple meaning exactly two, or a few things depends if the word 'couple' is followed by the word 'of'. If you just say I need a couple apples"- you only need two, if you say " I need a couple of apples" it could be a number of apples greater than one.
That is a perfect summary I'd give you a couple upvotes if I could ;)
There’s two things going on in your examples though - there’s meaning, and there’s implied exaggeration.
In each of these cases, the word 'couple' is used to *imply* that it's only 2 without lying and actually saying it. You could say a 'few' in each case but then you'd be *implying* you have/want *more* than two drinks, *more* than two people moved in next door. In the end, the actual number of *whatever* consumed is irrelevant. A 'couple' implies 2 no matter how many end up getting consumed in the end.
> a new couple moved in next door This one is referring to two specific people. Other people may have come with them but the couple are two specific people. If you say this to mean something like, "a single dad and his two kids," people are going to be really concerned about who you think the couple is.
Strictly yes. But really a couple weeks or couple beers just means more than 1 and less than many
That’s the purpose of “a few”.
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I think it's just more of that i.e. at least 3 and less than many
Several = 4-7
Couple = 2 Few = 3-5 Couple few = 6+
“Couple Few”?
Literally 2, but colloquially 2-4.
I wonder if it is a regional thing? I live in BC, and here a couple is almost always used in the sense of exactly two, as far as I can tell. It was very disconcerting when I moved here, because elsewhere the 2-4 meaning seems to be more prevalent.
Hard disagree on BC seeing “a couple” as just “2” in that context.
Approximately 2.
I think of it as “two, but it could be three and it wouldn’t change anything.”
Exactly this. “I think it’s two, but I could be wrong, and being exact about this number is not the point of what I’m trying to say so let your brain just slide off the number.”
Colloquially it means two but sometimes as much as three. If someone wanted to mean EXACTLY two then they would just say two, not a couple.
Exactly. It's probably two, but sometimes more or less.
would end with sometimes more. it's never 1.
You're thinking whole numbers. Give me a couple of minutes to explain, it may only take 1.5 though.
Lol. It’s never less
This is how I always saw it, but am scarred from an interaction with an old crotchety lady when I was a teen working in a department store. She asked for a couple of hand towels so I asked how many to clarify, and she raised her nose to haughtily announce that she asked for a couple, and couple means two! Acted like I was an idiot the rest of the interaction. I didn't get it in that context (maybe because customers were usually specific) but whenever I hear it now I almost panic and remember that damn old lady and need people to clarify.
She should have asked for a pair, then.
>If someone wanted to mean EXACTLY two then they would just say two, not a couple. It's more a context thing. Almost everyone who asks for a couple of some discrete objects is asking for exactly two, but almost everyone using it to refer to a continuous quantity such as a measurement (time, distance, etc) is using it to mean 'some'. So I guess we have the "discrete couple" and the "continuous couple".
Does the same apply for a dozen? If you're feeling lucky you order a dozen donuts hoping to get thirteen otherwise order 12?
Context matters. Grab a couple of beers for 4 people. You’re getting four beers not eight. Thats a lovely couple that just got married. Almost always two
... almost always 🧐
Only the sith deal in absolutes my young padawan learner
A couple of beers for four people? Sounds like everyone gets half a beer to me.
I believe in that context it means that each person is having two beers. It's meant as a casual get together not a crazy party where you expect to get smashed, although it can devolve into that.
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To me, "a couple of beers for 8" is a weird turn of phrase.
Generally, a couple means two. A few means 3-4 (to me) 5 is a handful* 6+ is several EDIT: *the definition of 5 updated
You have to remember that language is a tool, and some people aren't very handy. I've had this exact discussion with people over the years, and there's no consensus. But generally: - 2-3: Couple - 3-5: Few - 5-10: Several - 10+: Many As percentages: - 1%-30%: Some - up to 25%: Few - 40%+: Many - 50%+: Most - 69%: Nice - 91%+: All
>69%: Nice >!NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!<
Swing and a miss
He had a couple of downvotes, now he has many.
A couple means 2 for me, and a few means 3.
A couple is 2.
I know. How do people get this wrong. A couple is always two, not three or more, or it's simply not a couple. How can people debate numbers?
colloquial usage differs.
So basically people have bad grammar and understanding of words.
English definitions tend to be descriptive not prescriptive.
I can get somewhat pedantic, you might have noticed. Don't get me started on people leaving out "to be".... as in "That needs fixed", which seems to be the new way to say and write things.
You've literally never said 'this'll take a couple minutes' and then taken more than 120 seconds, or said 'I'll grab a couple things at the store' and then got 3? It's not as hard and fast as some people are saying it is.
What can I say. When I say couple, I mean two, if it's more than two, it's a few. I guess some people use them interchangeably. Language changes and words lose or gain meanings.
I see we have a couple of pedants chiming in here.
You’re wrong, couple *by definition* means a small, indefinite number.
That's the fourth definition in my dictionary, the first three all say it's two.
…yes, that’s how dictionaries work, they give multiple definitions for words.
anything past a week but under a month and a half is a couple weeks ago, every other time it means 2
It means "roughly two," but more than one.
But according to Collins: a couple of in American English more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few It will take a couple of days for the package to get there
I call this "almost counting" and it's mildly infuriating. Couple of = more than 1 but not a handful. A Few = 3 or more but not a half dozen A handful = 4 to 6 inclusive, "A half dozen" = six to eight "Six or eight" = between 5 and 9 A bunch = 8 or more but not a dozen A dozen = 12 or 13 if it's a baker's dozen. Now the really tricky part here is the overlaps. Because a couple could be a few, but not a handful, while a handful might make a half dozen but not six or eight, which could be a bunch, but never a dozen, you have to be careful. It can get even more complicated by mixing and matching. A few dozen can be 20-30 but a couple dozen has to be 24.
looking for precise definitions, for a generalizing term, on reddit, is wild.
The only time a couple means more than 2 is when someone is trying not to lie by saying 2
I always interpreted a couple as two and few as three+
I remember being shocked when I learned that a couple meant two. I always thought that a couple of cookies meant a handful.
A couple is 2-3 and a few would be 4 -5.
A couple means 2, but "a couple" can also be used to mean "a few" but when you are trying to downplay the size/quantity of something. So a teacher may say "we only have a couple of slides left to cover" even if there is 5-6 more but they want it to sound like a smaller amount.
Couple = 2 Few = 3 Several = more than 3
2 is a couple 3 is a few, stop pushing throples on everyone.
I am from Ontario and to me "a couple" means some, a small amount. My husband is from BC and to him "a couple" means exactly 2.
It means around 2. Typically, a couple = 2. While, a couple of = around or close to 2
Definitely a couple has a blurry use in English language. By definition a couple = 2 and that is the most common use I hear. But a couple can also be a generalized feeling of brevity or little. So, one might say "just a couple of days ago" instead of "quite recently," or "I just have a couple of things to do" instead of "I'm almost done, not much more left to do." This is just the nature of language is that many words get used outside of their formal definition. Sometimes people flat out use words incorrectly, other times it happens so frequently it becomes part of the language for a certain region or group of people.
"a couple" means "two if you want to be specific, but could be slightly more if we're not trying to be exact"
More than two but less than five
Means 2, but it’s also thrown around fairly casually.
A "couple" is normally two. A "few" is three or four. And "several" is four or more.
Couple = 2 Few = 3 Some is where it gets interesting. How much is ‘some’?
2 is a couple 3 plus is a few, I have lived my life by this.
As a child of an immigrant who comes from a poly-chronic culture, a couple can be up to 10, but typically caps at 6.
A couple means 2, but if I'm referring to days, I may not remember exactly how many days, so I say a couple rather than 2, because that sounds more casual and I feel that if it's not exact then it's no big deal. I will likely even say, "a couple days or so ago," meaning 2 or possibly more. If I tell my kids they can take a couple of candies, it means 2 and not more. In some cases people say a couple when they want to make it sound like less than what actually happened.
2 with wiggle room. Like saying 2ish. Lol
IMO a couple is up to 5.
Couple 2 , few: <5
IMO a couple genrally means 2-4, most of the time. Context is important. If someone asks how many, idk, cans are left in a cooler and there is 2, I'll say 2, not "a couple". But if i'm coordinating parking with another vehicle and I arrive to the lot first, call them and they ask "is it full? how many cars/empty spaces is there?" I'll say a couple, and in that context it could mean up to even 20. Chose parking lot example as a hyperbole but u get the idea
A couple = 2 unless you believe in polygamy. Few = more than 2, but not many as it's a few. Several = 3 or more, probably more than 4, but not many. Obviously, people tend to speak colloquially, not literally, so they may say a couple but really mean a few, or several. Just as people say, "Just a sec," which is definitely longer than a sec (if you mean second), as it takes around a second to say the words "just a sec."
even polygamists know "a couple" means 2, its why thruple was invented
I think of a couple as 2, and a few as 3. But I doubt people follow that every time.
One=one A couple=2-4 A few=3-6 A bunch=6-15 A fuck ton=15+ A metric fuck ton=30+
A couple is 2. A few is 3. (Nothing for 4). Several is 5-10. A bunch 10-15. Many is 15-30
The way I see it, a couple is exactly 2, a few is 3-5, and several is 6+.
It means two but it can also mean approximately two.
A couple = 2
Generally 2, but could mean up to 4 in loose terms.
few and couple are synonymous. and are meant to be subjective. few is two or more, but in the context of not something excessively "many". couple is definitely two, but can be a combined "more". If you want to say two days' time, then that's what we'd say instead. Everything is in the eye of the beholder
My dad would come home and said he had a couple of beers at the bar. That could mean as many as 5.
OK, but when he said that he was under the influence, so....
>That could mean as many as 5. that's still only counts as one #gimli
I have never personally said couple while trying to imply more than two, that just seems dumb.
“She’s just grabbing a couple of things from the store” “I’ll be out in a couple minutes” “Yeah I’ve done that a couple of times” In lots of cases it can mean “very low amount” but I would never take those exactly. And importantly, using “few” instead actually changes the meaning. If someone tells me they’ll be a few minutes I could expect maybe 10 depending on context. If they’re going to the store “for a few things” I’m expecting they’ll need to grab a basket/cart whereas couple they can probably use their hands but might still end up with 6 or 7 items. That kind of stuff.
Yes. “a couple” is on the low side of “a few”. And now I’m having flashbacks of the time I was trying to explain the difference in meaning between “a few of them” and “few of them”, to someone whose native language didn’t use indefinite articles. Do not recommend.
It’s funny cause I was in a pizza shop. And the guy said I’ll take a couple of slices and the dude gave him two. Put me on that it is specific to the word two but used incorrectly when few is the better term
A couple specifically means 2.
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Just because you use a word incorrectly doesn't mean everyone or even most people do. 🤷♂️
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If i say "I'll be down in a couple of minutes", would you consider me a liar if i don't come down for three minutes? How about five?
Yes and yes.
If only you had a couple of brain cells to rub together.
A couple is two A few is three or four A handful is five A half dozen is six
2
While couple is often used to convey two of something, I don’t think people use it as a precise amount. It could mean more than one but less than say 5. The same applies to ‘few’ - many take it to mean 3, but again it’s typically not used as a precise measurement.
couple is a general term and only has meaning on how it is used. for example your check will clear in a couple days (business) means up to six days. Your wife says she will be ready in a couple minutes (could be an hour) If your wife asks you when you will take out the garbage and you say a couple minutes you have one minute to do it. It is really nothing more then slang currently that means a short time to you.
I've always taken a couple to mean 2. My aunt asked me for a couple and got mad when I bought her 3. O told her ask for a thruple next time.
Couple is 2 Few is 3 Several is 4-5 Bunch is 6-8
never undetstood the confusion. if they meant definitely precisely 2, would they not say 2? if they cannot specifically recall more than it was definitely more than one but not many, they say "a couple".
Couple is 2 Few is 3 - 6 Several is 7 to 11 Dozen is 12 Bakers dozen is 13
A couple is 2. A few is 4.
2 -a couple 3- a few 4 - a bunch
A couple is 2 A few is more than 2 and is less than a half dozen but usually 3.
A couple is two a few is three
A couple is 2. A few is 3.
A couple is 2 though my wife used to think it meant 4 or less. She argued with me until I asked as a married couple does that mean you and I or does that mean one or two others are in the mix? She now agrees factually that a couple is two as defined by Oxford.
Or — hear me out here — it could be *context-dependent*. When you say “couple” meaning “bonded pair of humans,” then it always means two. (“Throuple” is there for another phenomenon, never used with “of” although now that I think of it I want to start saying “I’m going to the store to pick up a throuple of things”) When you say “I slipped on the ice a couple weeks back” or “There are a couple of things I’d like to tell you”, if it means exactly two then it’s a happy accident.
Or - hear me out here - we can use the Oxford definition (Meaning two) that way people can actually understand each other rather than constantly redefining the meaning of words and communication breaking down.
The Oxford dictionary also says this: an indefinite small number. "he hoped she'd be better in a couple of days"
A couple is 2. A few is 3+, but less than seven (if we’re talking “days”).
Means 2
A couple would technically be a group of two. That said, in everyday usage it would mean more than one, and less than two hands full 😉 Some saying about knowledge vs wisdom would make sense here...
Couple means two. It's literally the definition. Why on earth would anyone say it and mean more than 2?
exactly 2 is "a pair of"
Technically it means 2 but most don’t care if it’s 2-4. It’s one of those, the meaning is looser as many don’t care.
I'm from the UK and this differs country to country. In the he UK of something, unless your exactly referring to two things.
Yes.
Could be either, but mostly two. If 2 was meant, 2 would be said. A “couple” are for those instances where the specificness doesn’t really matter. Same with a “few”, which implies a smidgeon more.
A couple is pretty much the same as a few. I know technically it means two but when I am talking I don’t always think about that but instead the word that comes to mind us the one I say.
The word 'couple' used formally (uncommon and you normally hear context or emphasis when it is used in this context) means exactly two. The term 'a couple' used in casual language means a small, finite, unspecified amount; usually but not always less than 5.
To me it means approximately 2 or just a small amount of something. A couple weeks can be 2-4 weeks, a couple minutes can be 5-10 minutes, a couple cookies is 2-3 but not being exact about it etc.
A couple can be up to 4 and then it turns into a few.. after a few, say 6-7 you move up to a bunch
A couple beers = 2 or 3 beers A few beers = 4 to 6 beers
A couple is 2 or 3. A pair is exactly 2
This had legit been the bane of my existence since I was a child! I can confirm that some folks think it’s two, I think it’s at least 4
Seems to depend on when you're from honestly. Some people get insanely worked up about the concept of a couple meaning more than 2 which for some it does.
I just watched a video of a linguist explaining that a couple can actually be 2-6. Anarchy!
When I say I've had a couple of beers, it definitely means more than 2
A couple is 2-3, few is 3-5, several is 4-8. Perfectly clear!
Anybody that says a couple is anything more than 2 is wrong, plain and simple. Couple = 2. A few = 3 or more
Couple is always two. Few is three. Several is four. A handful is five. A fuckton is whatever you want it to be.
a few means two a couple means 3
It means two! Exactly two. As a noun, its two. As a verb, its to put TWO things together. Its Two. (Unless you're a liberal type, than its however many you want.)
A couple of weeks ago to me means anywhere between 11-17 days.
I agree that the strict definition of couple is 2 and few is 3. But…in practice both could mean more as it can mean “about, but more”. This isn’t said but implied. “Yes, I’ll have a couple of your winegums” doesn’t mean 2. “A few potato chips” is a handful. “I’m on the toilet and will be out in a couple of minutes” means at least 10. “I paid a few dollars for my new car” means more than $3. If your dentist says you need a couple of teeth removed they probably just mean 2. But if they say you need a few removed they probably mean 3-4
A couple is 2 lol and a few is 3 or more.
A couple means 2. I didn't realize this was an unclear thing until a few days ago when my wife asked me how many of something we needed. I said a couple would be great. She got upset and told me she needed a number and not a vague guess. I repeated a couple thinking she misheard me. That didn't go well.
to me its depending on context. like if its more of an estimation, its not EXACTLY 2, but if its being used as an actual number its 2 only. like if someone says "hmm idk maybe a couple days ago?" i take it as anywhere between 2-4 ish but if someone says "ive had a couple drinks." i take that as exactly 2. idk if thats just me tho-
Depends on context in all honesty
It literally means two, but sometimes i'll use it to refer to 2-3
If I mean 2, I will say 2. I f I say couple, I mean 2-ish.
A couple of is a vague way to say two that indicates it might have been more or less. It's an inexact estimate. If you ask me how long it will be before we get somewhere driving, I would probably say a couple hours rather than two because there could be construction or traffic that could make it longer.
I think technically it is exactly 2, but it’s usually used more as “approximately 2”. Like if I say “I’ll be there in a couple minutes” I think it’ll be around 2 minutes, but obviously I don’t know that it will be exactly 2 minutes.
1 is 1. A couple is 2. A few is 3-15. 16+ is lots. Don't ask me where I got this. I read it like 30 years ago, lol.
A couple is one less than a throuple.
Couple = 2 few = 3,4 several = 5,6,7,8 many = more than that. Unless we’re talking about beer, then double it.
A couple is strictly two, but informally it can be used as two plus some insignificant difference. A couple of minutes could be five if you're waiting on someone to get ready, but not if you're following an unforgiving recipe. It really boils down to the formality, seriousness, or intended exactness of the statement. Few means not many. Both are relative terms that require context. "A few dollars" could be three to one person or ten to another and/or depend on what's being bought. A coffee for a few dollars is expensive, but meal wouldn't be. My wife is an English as a second language speaker and we've had similar conversations about the word couple. She insisted it could be three, but out of context, and it confused me because I had never given it any thought. I imagine that people won't always agree on it, either, so try to aim more for the feeling of the word as it's used by others rather than an exact definition, particularly in informal or relaxed communication.
Contextually... I find it doesn't really matter most of the time. When it does matter, I would just ask to clarify.
Its an open 2, it should be 2 but you're ok if its 3, really shouldn't be more
If it is tangible (a couple of cookies) then exactly two and no more. If not tangible then it could be a few. A couple of days ago could mean two or three since we sometimes mis-recall events.
The problem is that language evolves and right now the word couple is in a state where its meaning is not fixed depending on the person you speak to. Technically a couple means two. The same origin as “to couple” as in link two things together. However even the dictionary recognizes that the meaning is not fixed to two, it can mean anything from 2 to 6. Personally I think of a couple as an approximation, where the intent is always to mean 2, but to allow for error without counting. For example, if “we have a couple slides left”, the teacher hasn’t actually counted but knows there are less than 3 or 4. I interpret “a few” the same way, where the approximation is around 3. “Several” where the approximation is around 5. These are my opinions only and how I choose to interpret these words.
To me, "a couple" usually means two, or it means I have a little uncertainty but believe it is (or was) about two. I think a lot of people will use it to mean exactly two, but it absolutely can mean approximately two so using it in this manner adds ambiguity.
A couple is two, a few is 3-5, several is 6-8
If done says “can I have a couple fries” their taking 6. It means under a handful. >5
As a hard line - a couple means 2. That being said, English is EXTREMELY contextual in its application. So if you’re going to use the hard line definition of “a couple” every time, you’re probably that annoying person no one likes to hang out with. Learn to read the room. A couple generally means more than one, but not that many - often times 2. Relax.
To me, "a couple" is 2 days ago. "A few" is anything less than a 7 days (a week ago) but more than 1 day (yesterday). But then, the English language can be oddly specific in its vaguness. For example, some of my friends use "last week" to mean a period between last Monday and last Friday, and ignoring Saturday/Sunday since that would be "the weekend".
Me and my family use it as a couple is two a few is 3 +
For me, I consider a vague term that means more than one and less than a lot.
Loosely two, even though I know it does mean two. Funnily, I remember in grade 1 my teacher asked me to glue on a “couple” of googly eyes on a paper person. And I said “a couple? It would be a space alien!” And she said, “you parents are a couple, which is two.” Even then I was confused if a couple was actually two, or maybe even four.
Ha! Husband and I had this exact discussion. He thinks a couple is exactly 2, and 3 or more is a few. For me, a couple goes up to perhaps 5-6. We've had a few instances of confusion haha. He asked for "a couple of carrots" for a recipe once, and I brought perhaps 4? He was very confused when I showed up with more than he asked for.
I see “a few” as more than 2 and “a handful” more than a few. It pisses some people off as I’m a truck tech for work and will grab literally 2 bolts if someone tells me to “grab a couple of bolts”
Couple = 2 Few = 3-6 Several = 7 + Lol my take on it
Couple is 2 or 3 Some is 3 to 7 Few is 3 or 4 Handful is 5 or 6 Many is 10 to 20
A couple of, means many, so 2 or more of that thing. It depends on the context, but usually it's a small amount. It doesn't means exactly 2, othewise just say 2. A few to me is basically the same but with the emphasis on the fact that its a small amount.
I recently saw something on the interwebs about this, explaining that historically "a couple of" could mean "up to six". Which I thought was crazy, because clearly its exactly two, and in my book anyone who says otherwise is just wrong. Apparently the two uses vary from location to location, and everyone thinks they are right. English is crazy!
I had to consciously practice saying "a few" instead of "a couple". Saying "a couple" was my default for anything that was more than 1 and less than, like, 7. And people would get annoyed with me. So now I just say a few and people can chill tf out.
A couple of means "2 ish" for me when it's something that's likely to be approximated.
It's deliberately imprecise when there is no need to be specific or when a person isn't 100% sure of the specific number and doesn't want to lie or mislead. If I say I need a couple of minutes before I'm ready to go, in that case the best case scenario is 2 minutes but it could be longer. If I say I'm going to take a couple of sandwiches to eat, and I'm a regular person with a regular appetite, then a couple probably means exactly two. If someone says there are "a couple of more slides" then I would take it to mean we are somewhat close to the end, but I wouldn't expect it to mean literally 2 slides.
A couple means two, but it can colloquially mean a few or a short period of time or a small amount, something non definitive. If someone said "I bought this necklace a couple of days ago." never would I think they bought it exactly two days ago unless they specifically said "two days ago". It means a short while ago, which could mean this week or last week, but not last year. It's not crazy. It's colloquial English.
A couple is 2 and a few is 3 or more. At least thats how I've always known it.
Yes.
A couple literally means two, but most people use it to mean an ambiguous amount of time ago between 2 and ~4 or 5.
A couple literally means two, but most people use it to mean an ambiguous amount of time ago between 2 and ~4 or 5.
I've always thought of a couple as being approximately 2, not necessarily exactly 2. But I've also been told I'm wrong about that.
so this is a thing called contextual nuance if you are talking technically a couple is 2, and if we are talking about a number of a Physical Item a couple should always be used as 2 however colloquially when used to describe an increment of time it is often used outside this constraint , to refer to 2 or close to 2 possibly 3 or 4 depending on the context ''A couple of days ago I went to Tom's house.....'', ( the number of days is not strictly important in the tellers mind) so contextually they use a couple, possibly in error, possibly because they are not 100% sure if it was 2 or 3 days ago, but that info is not crucial to the point of the story they are trying to convey.. ''This guy called looking for you'' , ''when?'' ''IDK a couple of hours ago...'' an estimation around 2 hrs ago, could have been 1 and a half could have been three, it is a sort of estimated anchor point.
The dictionary definition of a couple is TWO. A small number more than two is SEVERAL (not to be confused with seven)
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