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Glite Dictionary
2️⃣ A small number 2️⃣ A few
a couple of

a couple of

∞ 1.0
A small number of things or people, usually two but sometimes a few
  • determiner
translation icon : un par de
  • We need a couple of volunteers to help with the event.
  • a couple of years
  • a couple of years ago
  • a couple of months

Amazon started with a couple of people and.

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Examples

  • Just want to point out a couple of examples.

  • Yeah, take out a couple of countries, whatever.

  • So on this scale, you see a couple of key events.

  • Just got to catch up on a couple of things.

  • We're going to see you in a couple of months months.

  • Could be a couple of weeks.

    Harmony (2022)

  • Just a couple of hours.

    Fall (2022)

  • I see a couple of people.

    Dirty Harry (1971)

  • Provide parents with a look at a couple of the daily activity options.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Harry visited me at the office a couple of times to peek at photos.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

few
vsa couple of
∞ 1.0

A small number of people or things

typically means two rather than stressing lack of quantity
a few
vsa couple of
∞ 1.0

A small number of people or things, more than one but not many

usually refers to two rather than an unspecified small number
couple
vsa couple of
∞ 1.0

A small number of people or things, not many

most often means two not a broader indefinite number
handful
vsa couple of
315 1.0

A small number of people or things

typically denotes two rather than a vague small quantity
handful of
vsa couple of
306 1.6

An amount you can hold in one hand or a small number of things

usually indicates two rather than a hand-sized amount

Antonyms

many
9 1.0

A large number of people or things you can count

How Many

numerous
432 2.0
many
9 1.0
several
∞ 1.0
a few
∞ 1.0
a couple of
∞ 1.0
one
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

a couple of singular

Morphology

a + couple + of

The meaning is directly compositional: 'couple' means a small number and the determiners 'a' + 'of' form the noun phrase 'a couple of' to indicate that small number (typically two, sometimes a few). This construction is grammatically regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning, though pragmatic looseness about exact numerosity may require occasional exposure.

Etymology

A couple of comes from the old sense of couple as two people or things paired together. That's why we often use it to mean 'two', even though people sometimes use it to mean 'a few'.