COUCH

in modern usage a sofa or settee, but in the 17th and 18th centuries a long, upholstered seat for reclining, one end sloping and high enough to provide a back rest and headrest. It was a more comfortable form of the 17th-century daybed. Some late 18th-century versions had an arm running partly down one side, and this type continued to be made in England in the Regency period. Based on Greek prototypes, such flowing designs, of which there were many variations, were among the most elegant and successful interpretations of the classical revival. Many had scrolled ends and short, scimitar-shaped legs. Because of the Victorian quest for comfort, the couch was superseded by the overstuffed sofa.