Pair (pâr) , noun
[French paire, Late Latin paria, Latin paria, plural of par pair, from par, adj., equal. Compare Apparel, Par equality, Peer an equal.]
[Now mostly or quite disused.]
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.]
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 pants; a pair of tongs; a pair of bellows.
A member who is thus paired with one who would have voted oppositely is said to be paired for or paired against a measure, depending on the member's position.
6.
Two members of opposite parties or opinion, as in a parliamentary body, who mutually agree not to vote on a given question (in order, for example, to allow the members to be absent during the vote without affecting the outcome of the vote), 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.
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.
Collocations (1)
Pair 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