couch1

noun

• a long upholstered piece of furniture for several people to sit on: I sat in an armchair and they sat on the couch
• a reclining seat with a headrest at one end on which a psychoanalyst’s subject or doctor’s patient lies while undergoing treatment: the child was lying on the examination couch

verb

• 1express (something) in language of a specified style:the assurances were couched in general terms

• 2 literary lay down:two fair creatures, couched side by side in deepest grass

• 3 archaic lower (a spear) to the position for attack: To arms! cried Mortimer, and couch’d his quiv’ring lance

• 4 (usually as noun couching) chiefly historical treat (a cataract) by pushing the lens of the eye downwards and backwards, out of line with the pupil.

• 5(in embroidery) fix (a thread) to a fabric by stitching it down flat with another thread:gold and silver threads couched by hand