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3 VERB [usu passive] If a statement is couched in a particular style of language, it is expressed in that style of language. [WRITTEN ] □ [be V -ed + in/as ] The new centre-right government's radical objectives are often couched in moderate terms.

cou|chette /kuːʃe t/ (couchettes ) N‑COUNT A couchette is a bed on a train or a boat which is folded against the wall or used as a seat during the day. [mainly BRIT ]

cou ch po|ta|to (couch potatoes ) N‑COUNT A couch potato is someone who spends most of their time watching television and does not exercise or have any interesting hobbies. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □  …couch potatoes flicking through endless satellite TV channels.

couch|surf|ing /kaʊ tʃsɜː ^r f I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Couchsurfing is the practice of sleeping at the houses of several different people for a period of time without paying. □  He spent a few months couchsurfing.

cou|gar /kuː gə ^r / (cougars ) N‑COUNT A cougar is a wild member of the cat family. Cougars have brownish-grey fur and live in mountain regions of North and South America. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use puma

cough ◆◇◇ /kɒ f, [AM ] kɔː f/ (coughs , coughing , coughed )

1 VERB When you cough , you force air out of your throat with a sudden, harsh noise. You often cough when you are ill, or when you are nervous or want to attract someone's attention. □ [V ] Graham began to cough violently. □ [V ] He coughed. 'Excuse me, Mrs Allsworthy, could I have a word?' ● N‑COUNT Cough is also a noun. □  They were interrupted by an apologetic cough. ●  cough|ing N‑UNCOUNT □  He was then overcome by a terrible fit of coughing.

2 N‑COUNT A cough is an illness in which you cough often and your chest or throat hurts. □  …if you have a persistent cough for over a month.

3 VERB If you cough blood or mucus, it comes up out of your throat or mouth when you cough. □ [V n] I started coughing blood so they transferred me to a hospital. ● PHRASAL VERB Cough up means the same as cough . □ [V P n] Keats became feverish, continually coughing up blood. [Also V n P ]

▸  cough up

1 PHRASAL VERB If you cough up an amount of money, you pay or spend that amount, usually when you would prefer not to. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P + for ] I'll have to cough up $10,000 a year for tuition. □ [V P ] Will this be enough to persuade Congress to cough up? [Also V P n + for ]

2 → see also cough 3

cou gh medi|cine (cough medicines ) N‑VAR Cough medicine is liquid medicine that you take when you have a cough.

cou gh mix|ture (cough mixtures ) N‑VAR Cough mixture is the same as cough medicine . [BRIT ]

could ◆◆◆ /kəd, STRONG kʊd/ Could is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb. Could is sometimes considered to be the past form of can , but in this dictionary the two words are dealt with separately. 1 MODAL You use could to indicate that someone had the ability to do something. You use could not or couldn't to say that someone was unable to do something. □  For my return journey, I felt I could afford the extra and travel first class. □  I could see that something was terribly wrong. □  When I left school at 16, I couldn't read or write. □  There was no way she could have coped with a baby around.

2 MODAL You use could to indicate that something sometimes happened. □  Though he had a temper and could be nasty, it never lasted. □  He could be very pleasant when he wanted to.