Apparently, I'm a delinquent

[Imogene]

Guy came up to my register one day during lunch rush. Conversation went as such:
M: Me
G: Guy
G: "Can I get a couple of sauce cups (I forget what precisely he was looking for...)?"
M: "Sure, how many did you want?"
G: "A couple."
M: *I hand him three cups after staring at him for a moment*
G: *hands me one of the cups back* "I said a couple."
M: "'A couple' has always meant 'two or three' to me."
G:
M: *smack forehead as I realise he was reading that as in the dating sense*

[friendofjimmyk]

Hmm...I have always considered a "couple" to mean two and a "few" to mean three.

But, so he gets one extra sauce cup, what's the big deal? Most men would be happy with an addition to their "couple"

[mrtauntaun]

A couple is two, in just about any context.

[MadMike]

I probably would have handed him two cups, but then I'm sort of picky like that.

For some reason, I'm thinking of the "banana in the tailpipe" scene in Beverly Hills Cop. Eddie Murphy's character asks for "a couple bananas", and they guy gives him three. So apparently you're not the only one with the "two or three" idea.

Why do I remember stupid little things like that, and forget where I put the keys I had in my hand two minutes ago?

[Becks]

A couple--two
A few--three
Several--maybe up to five, unless it's sugar packets, then I'll probably hand you a handful



But that's just me.

[Drakstern]

Couple is two
Trio is three
Few is four
Pentuple is five(never had anyone actually use this one. Did have someone ask for a sextuple, though...)
Several gets you a blank look and asked 'how many would you like' again.

[FenigDurak]

When I've used 'couple' or 'few,' I'd never had a specific number in mind. If I need two of something, I ask for two of something.

[protege]

Camp had its own numbering things. For example, a "shitload" was 23, and a "wad" was 50.

[headache grey]

a conversation i had once, while cutting fabric:

me: how many yards would you like?
her: a couple.
me: two yards, then?
her: ... nothing
me: ::measures, cuts two yards::
her: I SAID THREE WAAAAAAAAH crycrycry

illustrating: it always pays to be accurate when ordering something. and also, to listen.

[powerboy]

A Couple, has always meant 2
A Few, has always meant 3

[Kogarashi]

Eh, I would've likely handed him three sauce cups too. If you want a specific number, ask for a specific number. Don't trust people to have the same interpretation of "couple" or "few" as you.

To me:
couple = two or three
few = three to five
several = half handful or larger

[Cia]

I agree with Kogarashi - a couple is 2 - 3 and a few is 3 or more.

[Lackwit]

Eh, I would've likely handed him three sauce cups too. If you want a specific number, ask for a specific number. Don't trust people to have the same interpretation of "couple" or "few" as you.

To me:
couple = two or three
few = three to five
several = half handful or larger

CowOrkers and I were discussing this very topic the other day, and my closer B insisted that "a couple" meant exactly three. I asked him how that kind of thinking figures into his relationships, and he amended that. We came to the conclusion that matches Kogarashi's list.

I think of a couple as "about two," but it can't be one, because one shouldn't be counted as a group (am I making any sense?) which limits my definition of a couple to either two or three.

[ds_36]

A couple would mean two to me, and a few would mean three to five (I guess - actually, probably would mean somewhere under 10). I have no idea how many several would be. But if I want a specific number I would ask for that number, and if someone asked me for a couple of something I would ask how many they wanted. Because I'm sure otherwise I'd give the wrong amount.

[karma_gypsy]

I probably would have grabbed three as well, just because it's courtesy thing (in my opinion). You wouldn't want the customer of running out, so even though they asked for two, you're just trying to be nice and give them three. It's not a big deal anyway, unless it messes with your inventory or somethin.