How about the use of "A TON" to mean " a huge quantity when it has nothing to do with weight?
When you say "a couple of"???
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<<How about the use of "A TON" to mean " a huge quantity when it has nothing to do with weight? >>
That would be figurative language, but it COULD be taken literally sometimes (when talking about weights).
However, a "couple" meaning 2 is taken literally way more often than "a ton" is.
In most situatuons and when in doubt, "a couple" = 2
When speaking of "a couple" (a pair) as in "those guys make a cute COUPLE", it's always 2
couple means 2
That would be figurative language, but it COULD be taken literally sometimes (when talking about weights).
However, a "couple" meaning 2 is taken literally way more often than "a ton" is.
In most situatuons and when in doubt, "a couple" = 2
When speaking of "a couple" (a pair) as in "those guys make a cute COUPLE", it's always 2
couple means 2
It may be more interesting to consider "a couple of" when it refers to real numbers, not just whole numbers.
For example, "a couple of inches" could mean from 1.0+ to 3.0- inches. "A few inches" would range from 2.0+ to perhaps 6.0- inches.
For example, "a couple of inches" could mean from 1.0+ to 3.0- inches. "A few inches" would range from 2.0+ to perhaps 6.0- inches.
"A couple" should refer to two.
If anyone says that to refer to more, that's just bad English.
"A few" is three or more- though still should be a small amount. Otherwise, what is few about it?
If anyone says that to refer to more, that's just bad English.
"A few" is three or more- though still should be a small amount. Otherwise, what is few about it?
—Idiom
14.a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: It will take a couple of days for the package to get there.
—Usage note
The phrase a couple of has been in standard use for centuries, especially with measurements of time and distance and in referring to amounts of money: They walked a couple of miles in silence. Repairs will probably cost a couple of hundred dollars. The phrase is used in all but the most formal speech and writing. The shortened phrase a couple, without of (The gas station is a couple miles from here), is an Americanism of recent development that occurs chiefly in informal speech or representations of speech. Without a following noun, the phrase is highly informal: Jack shouldn't drive. I think he's had a couple. (Here the noun drinks is omitted.)
In referring to two people, couple, like many collective nouns, may take either a singular or a plural verb. Most commonly, it is construed as a plural: The couple were traveling to Texas. See also collective noun.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
14.a couple of, more than two, but not many, of; a small number of; a few: It will take a couple of days for the package to get there.
—Usage note
The phrase a couple of has been in standard use for centuries, especially with measurements of time and distance and in referring to amounts of money: They walked a couple of miles in silence. Repairs will probably cost a couple of hundred dollars. The phrase is used in all but the most formal speech and writing. The shortened phrase a couple, without of (The gas station is a couple miles from here), is an Americanism of recent development that occurs chiefly in informal speech or representations of speech. Without a following noun, the phrase is highly informal: Jack shouldn't drive. I think he's had a couple. (Here the noun drinks is omitted.)
In referring to two people, couple, like many collective nouns, may take either a singular or a plural verb. Most commonly, it is construed as a plural: The couple were traveling to Texas. See also collective noun.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
>> "A couple" should refer to two <<
But it doesn't always. If you want to refer to two things, use "a pair of"
But it doesn't always. If you want to refer to two things, use "a pair of"
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