A couple can mean two of something, but in everyday use it often means “a few” or “a small number.” When your teacher says “give me a couple minutes,” she might mean exactly two minutes, but she more likely means she needs a short amount of time. When you ask for a couple cookies, you're hoping for two or three, maybe a small handful.

The word also refers to two people in a romantic relationship. Your aunt and uncle are a couple if they're married or dating. People become a couple when they decide to be together romantically.

In everyday speech, you might hear couple used without “of”: someone might say “a couple friends” instead of “a couple of friends.” In more careful or formal writing, “a couple of” is usually preferred.

When things are coupled together, they're connected or joined, like train cars coupled to form a long train. A coupling is the device that connects them.

The flexibility of this word can sometimes cause confusion. If someone promises to meet you in “a couple of hours,” do they mean exactly two hours or just soon? Context usually makes it clear, but when precision matters, it's worth asking for a specific time.