coupling : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: coupling	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for coupling
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
coupling n a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together Synonym(s): yoke, coupling a mechanical device that serves to connect the ends of adjacent objects Synonym(s): coupling, coupler the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes; "the casual couplings of adolescents"; "the mating of some species occurs only in the spring" Synonym(s): coupling, mating, pairing, conjugation, union, sexual union
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Couple \Cou"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Coupled} (k?p"'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Coupling} (-l?ng).] [F. coupler, fr. L. copulare. See {Couple}, n., and cf. {Copulate}, {Cobble}, v.] 1. To link or tie, as one thing to another; to connect or fasten together; to join. Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds, . . . And couple Clowder with the deep-mouthed brach. --Shak. 2. To join in wedlock; to marry. [Colloq.] A parson who couples all our beggars. --Swift.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Coupling \Coup"ling\ (-l?ng), n. 1. The act of bringing or coming together; connection; sexual union. 2. (Mach.) A device or contrivance which serves to couple or connect adjacent parts or objects; as, a belt coupling, which connects the ends of a belt; a car coupling, which connects the cars in a train; a shaft coupling, which connects the ends of shafts. {Box coupling}, {Chain coupling}. See under {Box}, Chain. {Coupling box}, a coupling shaped like a journal box, for clamping together the ends of two shafts, so that they may revolve together. {Coupling pin}, a pin or bolt used in coupling or joining together railroad cars, etc.
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (15Feb98) [foldoc]:
coupling The degree to which components depend on one another. There are two types of coupling, "tight" and "loose". Loose coupling is desirable for good {software engineering} but tight coupling may be necessary for maximum performance. Coupling is increased when the data exchanged between components becomes larger or more complex. (1996-08-01)