‖ couchee
(kuʃe)
Also 7–8 -chée, 8 -ché; rarely coucher.
[a. F. couché, variant of coucher (Littré, Coucher n. 1) lying down, going to bed (subst. use of coucher inf.: see couch v.1]
1. An assembly of company in the evening; an evening reception.
Cf. F. le coucher du roi, or simply le coucher, the reception which preceded the king's going to bed; petit coucher the interval between this reception and the king's actual retirement, during which he saw only his household officers or other privileged persons.
| 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode iv. i, I was coming late from Whitehall after the King's Couchée. 1679 Crowne Ambit. Statesman ii. 28 Almost at all his Levyes and his Couchees. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1766) II. 251 The Duke's levees and couchées were so crowded that the anti-chambers were full. 1719 Mem. Lewis XIV, v. 56 At the Queen's Coucher, where the King was. 1776 Harris Let. in Private Lett. 1st Ld. Malmesbury (1870) I. 350, I attended the three Couchés last night of the Speaker, Lord Mansfield and the Chancellor. 1831 Carlyle Sart. Res. i. ix, Pompous ceremonials..Royal Drawing-rooms, Levees, Couchees. |
† 2. An obeisance. Obs.
| 1691 New Discov. Old Intreague xxi, Bend with aukward Couchees to the Throne. |