pair: [13] Like English par [17], parity [16], and peer ‘noble’ [13], pair comes ultimately from Latin pār ‘equal’, a word of unknown origin. Its derivative paria ‘equal things, similar things’ passed into English via Old French paire. Other English descendants of Latin pār include compare, disparage [14], nonpareil [15], and umpire. => compare, disparage, nonpareil, par, parity, peer, umpire
pair (v.)
"to come together with another; be mated or married" (intransitive), also "to make a pair by matching" (transitive), c. 1600, from pair (n.). These senses now often are distinguished by pair off (c. 1803) for the former and pair up (1908) for the latter. Related: Paired; pairing.
pair (n.)
mid-13c., "two of a kind coupled in use," from Old French paire "pair, couple," and directly from Medieval Latin paria "equals," neuter plural of Latin par (genitive paris) "a pair, counterpart, equal," noun use of par (adj.) "equal, equal-sized, well-matched" (see par (n.)). Originally of things. Of persons from late 14c. Meaning "a woman's breasts" is attested from 1922. Pair bond (v.) is first attested 1940, in reference to birds mating.
实用例句
1. On the mantelpiece are a pair of bronze Ming vases.
壁炉台上是一对明代的青铜花瓶。来自柯林斯例句
2. Eventually they reached a pair of ornately carved doors.
他们最终来到一扇雕刻精美的对开门前。来自柯林斯例句
3. His surgical instruments were a knife and a pair of pincers.
他的外科手术器械是一把刀和一把钳子。来自柯林斯例句
4. A bra and a pair of briefs lay on the floor.
地板上有一个胸罩和一条短内裤。来自柯林斯例句
5. He put on a pair of short pants and an undershirt.
