How man y is a couple?

[Andara Bledin]

Heh, that cashier's response is great!

But, yeah, to me, a couple is just 2. A few is 3-4. A bunch is 5-9. Lots is over 10 for most things.

^-.-^

[Lil Bunny]

I'd say four isn't an orgy personally. More than six before it's an orgy

It's only an orgy at 4 if someone has their shoes on. But I digress.

'Round here a couple is generally 2, a few is 3-4, and to introduce a new one a couplefew is about 6-10.

Howdoyalike them apples? *evil grin*

[Rine]

Down south we also have "couple-three."

Figure that one out.

^_^

Yea, it used to confuse me when I first moved down here and the locals said that sort of thing. "Couple-three" and also, "Couple-four" and "Couple few".

Just...make your mind up!

[Sunsetsky]

For me a couple = 2 and a few = 3.

Whenever I get clients who ask for "a couple" of an item, I usually ask "two then?" Just to be sure.

[Imogene]

Those of you who give a precise number to 'a couple' bug me. It's only a couple in that way when referring to people, in my mind. A couple to me can mean up to five, which really bugged one customer at the Arches who ordered a couple burgers.
"So... two? Three? Five?"
He got very confused. "What the hell kind of couple is five?"
"Unless you're talking about people, five can be a couple. And even then, my definition of 'a couple' is played fast and loose."
Guy blushed, then said something about... *thinks* Something about my relationship troubles, I forget what.

[Nekojin]

I've always understood both "couple" and "few" to be indeterminates for small numbers greater than one. I do understand that some people mean exactly two when they say "couple," and some people (not necessarily the same people) mean exactly three when they say "few." So I ask.

Me: How many hinge blocks did you need?
SC: Oh, I just need a couple...
Me: How many?
SC: Oh, um... two, I guess.

It's almost as though they want us to sell as many as we'll send for the price of two...

[ParkingWitch]

How 'bout SCA fighter counting "one, two, many, many many, lots" ?

Or maybe that was just Rory and the cheesebugers for lunch.

[Broomjockey]

How 'bout SCA fighter counting "one, two, many, many many, lots" ?

That's no fighter! That's a gully dwarf!

[Ree]

Ummm...when you "couple" something, you join two things.

In the plumbing section, we have "couplers". They join 2 pieces of pipe.

Couples are 2 people.

How could it not mean 2 when you say you want a couple of something?

[Seshat]

Those of you who give a precise number to 'a couple' bug me.

That's fair. It bugs me that anyone can give an imprecise number to 'a couple'. So we're even, right?

[myswtghst]

I don't mind when people use "a couple" to mean an imprecise number in certain situations, say, if you're telling a story, and "a couple" days went by in between events.

However, I get seriously annoyed when I offer to, cut up cheese for cheese and crackers for my mom and I, and I ask her how much, and the response is "a couple pieces." I want to know how many you want, so I don't cut you too many.

[OhHerro]

We had this discussion at work the other day. I moved into a new house over the summer and I had a few cook outs (housewarming and one for the VT/LSU game, which did not go well). One of my coworkers, J, wanted to know when I was going to have the next one, since he hadn't made it to one yet.

J: Dude, when are you going to have another cookout?
Me: Well, I've already had a couple. We'll see.
J: A couple? You've only had like . . . two.
Me: "Two" is a couple.
J: I always thought it was three or something
Me: Only if you're mormon. . .