Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COUCH, v.i. [Fr. couche, a bed; coucher, to lay down; Norm. couche, a couch, and laid double; Sp. gacho, bent down, slouching; agacharse, to stoop, to crouch; Port. agacharse, acaçaparse, to stoop, crouch, or squat; Arm. coacha and scoacha, our vulgar scooch; D. hukken; G. hocken; Dan. huger. The primary sense is to lay or throw down. See Class Cg, Gk, No. 7, 8, 9.]

1. To lie down, as on a bed or place of repose.
2. To lie down on the knees; to stoop and recline on the knees, as a beast. Fierce tigers couched around. – Dryden.
3. To lie down in secret or in ambush; to lie close and concealed. The earl of Angus couched in a furrow. – Hayward. Judah couched as a lion. – Gen. xlix.
4. To lie; to lie in a bed or stratum. Blessed of the Lord be his land … for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath. – Deut. xxxiii.
5. To stoop; to bend the body or back; to lower in reverence, or to bend under labor, pain, or a burden. Issachar is a strong ass, couching down between two burdens. – Gen. xlix. These couchings, and these lowly courtesies. – Shak.