pairing
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pair
(pâr)n. pl. pair or pairs
1. Two corresponding persons or items, similar in form or function and matched or associated: a pair of shoes.
2. One object composed of two joined, similar parts that are dependent upon each other: a pair of pliers.
3.
a. Two persons who are married, engaged, or dating.
b. Two persons who have something in common and are considered together: a pair of hunters.
c. Two mated animals.
d. Two animals joined together in work.
4. Games Two playing cards of the same denomination.
5. Two members of a deliberative body with opposing opinions on a given issue who agree to abstain from voting on the issue, thereby offsetting each other.
6. Chemistry An electron pair.
v. paired, pair·ing, pairs
v.tr.
1. To arrange in sets of two; couple: The golfers are paired in twosomes for this round of play.
2. To combine or join (one person or thing) with another to form a pair: a director pairing his favorite actor with an unknown; a salad that is paired with a fine dressing.
v.intr.
1. To form pairs or a pair: The people on the dance floor paired up.
2. To join with another in love or mating.
[Middle English, from Old French paire, from Latin paria, equals, pl. of pār, a pair, from pār, equal; see perə- in Indo-European roots.]
Usage Note: The noun pair can be followed by a singular or plural verb. The singular is always used when pair denotes the set taken as a single entity: This pair of shoes is on sale. A plural verb is used when the members are considered as individuals: The pair are working more harmoniously now. After a number other than one, pair itself can be either singular or plural, but the plural is now more common: I bought six pairs (or pair) of shoes.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pairing
(ˈpɛərɪŋ)n
1. two people, esp sports players, actors, or musicians, who are working together as a pair
2. the action of putting two people together
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pair•ing
(ˈpɛər ɪŋ)n.
1. a coupling.
2. the lining up of the two homologous chromosomes or chromatids of each chromosome pair in meiosis or mitosis. Compare base pairing.
[1605–15]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  pairing - the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes; "the casual couplings of adolescents"; "the mating of some species occurs only in the spring"sex activity, sexual activity, sexual practice - activities associated with sexual intercourse; "they had sex in the back seat" assortative mating - mating of individuals having more traits in common than likely in random mating disassortative mating - mating of individuals having traits more dissimilar than likely in random mating hybridisation, hybridization, hybridizing, interbreeding, crossbreeding, crossing, cross - (genetics) the act of mixing different species or varieties of animals or plants and thus to produce hybrids inbreeding - the act of mating closely related individuals |
| 2. | pairing - the act of grouping things or people in pairs buddy system - a cooperative practice of pairing two or more people together for mutual assistance or safety (especially in recreational swimming) matchup, match-up - the pairing of people or things as for comparison or competition; "it was a good match-up but the home team won"; "we need a matchup of the best teachers with the neediest schools" grouping - the activity of putting things together in groups |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pairing
noun collaboration, partnership, cooperation, linking up the pairing of these two fine musicians
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
pairing
[ˈpɛərɪŋ] n [two people] → paire f
the pairing of Sellers and Thomas → la paire formée par Sellers et Thomas, la paire Sellers et Thomas
the pairing of Sellers and Thomas → la paire formée par Sellers et Thomas, la paire Sellers et Thomas
(= putting together) [people] → association f; [foods, flavours] → mariage m
Moviegoers will be intrigued by the pairing of Hanks and Newman → Les cinéphiles seront intrigués par l'association Hanks-Newman.
Moviegoers will be intrigued by the pairing of Hanks and Newman → Les cinéphiles seront intrigués par l'association Hanks-Newman.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
pairing
n
→ Paarung f
(Parl) Absprache zwischen Regierungs- und Oppositionsabgeordneten, an einer Abstimmung nicht teilzunehmen, um die Mehrheitsverhältnisse nicht zu verändern, → Pairing nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007