Pair , v. t. [See Impair.]
To impair. [Obs.] Spenser.
Pair , v. t. 1. To
unite in couples; to form a pair of; to bring together, as things which belong together, or which complement, or are adapted to one another.
Glossy jet is paired with shining white.
Pope. 2. To engage (one's self) with another of opposite opinions not to vote on a particular question or class of
questions. [Parliamentary Cant]
Paired fins. (Zoöl.) See under Fin.
Pair , v. i. [imp. & p. p. Paired (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Pairing.]
1. To be joined in paris; to couple; to mate, as for breeding.
2. To suit; to fit, as a counterpart.
My heart was
made to fit
and pair with thine.
Rowe. 3. Same as To pair off. See phrase below.
To pair off, to separate from a company in
pairs or couples; specif. (Parliamentary Cant), to agree with
one of the opposite party or opinion to
abstain from voting on specified questions or issues. See Pair, n.,
6.
Pair (?), n. [F. paire, LL. paria, L.
paria, pl. of par pair, fr. par, adj., equal. Cf. Apparel,
Par equality, Peer an equal.]
1. A number of
things resembling one another, or belonging together; a set; as, a pair or
flight of stairs. "A pair of
beads." Chaucer. Beau. & Fl. "Four pair of stairs." Macaulay. [Now mostly or quite disused, except as to stairs.]
Two crowns in my pocket, two pair of cards.
Beau. &
Fl. 2. Two things of a kind, similar in form, suited to each other, and intended to be used together; as, a pair of
gloves or stockings; a pair of shoes.
3. Two of
a sort; a span; a yoke;
a couple; a
brace; as, a
pair of horses; a pair of
oxen.
4. A married couple; a man and wife. "A happy pair."
Dryden. "The hapless
pair." Milton.
5. A single thing, composed of two pieces fitted to each other and used together; as, a pair
of scissors; a pair of
tongs; a pair of bellows.
6. Two members of opposite parties or opinion, as in a parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to
vote on a given question, or on issues of a party nature during a specified time; as, there were two pairs on the final
vote. [Parliamentary Cant]
7. (Kinematics)
In a mechanism, two elements, or bodies, which are so applied to
each other as to mutually constrain relative motion.
&fist; Pairs are named
in accordance with the kind
of motion they permit; thus, a journal and its bearing form a turning pair, a cylinder and its piston a sliding pair, a screw and its nut a twisting pair, etc. Any pair in which the
constraining contact is along lines or at points only (as a cam and roller acting together), is designated a higher pair; any pair having constraining
surfaces which fit each other (as a cylindrical pin and eye, a screw and its nut, etc.), is called a lower pair.
Pair royal (pl. Pairs
Royal) three
things of a sort; -- used especially of playing cards in some games, as cribbage; as three kings, three "eight spots" etc. Four of a kind are called a double pair royal. "Something in his face gave
me as much pleasure as a
pair royal of naturals in my
own hand." Goldsmith. "That great pair royal of adamantine sisters [the
Fates]." Quarles. [Written corruptly parial and prial.]
Syn. -- Pair, Flight, Set. Originally, pair was not confined to two things, but was applied to any number
of equal things (pares),
that go together. Ben Jonson speaks of a pair
(set) of chessmen; also, he and Lord Bacon speak of a pair (pack) of cards. A "pair of stairs" is still in popular use, as well as the later expression, "flight of stairs."
Hear it pronounced