COUPLE


Meaning of COUPLE in English

In physics, a pair of equal parallel forces that are opposite in direction.

Couples produce or prevent the turning of a body. The forces used to turn the steering wheel of a car constitute a couple; each hand exerts a force, parallel but opposite in direction, yet they work together to achieve the same goal. A couple is also used to turn a screwdriver or a doorknob, and the pair of forces acting on the opposite poles of a compass needle as it points somewhere between north and south are a couple.

Britannica English dictionary.      Английский словарь Британика.