pair

pair — noun

1. a group of two items that match in style and size and belong together — for exam

1.nounA2
Definition

a group of two items that match in style and size and belong together — for example, two shoes, two earrings, two socks — or one object made from two attached halves such as scissors or trousers.

Example

Maya bought a new pair of running shoes for the marathon.

a pair of + plural noun

The hotel left a fresh pair of slippers beside each bed.

Common collocations
  • a pair of shoes
  • a pair of socks
  • a pair of trousers
  • a pair of scissors
  • a pair of glasses
  • a matching pair
  • a fresh pair
Synonyms
  • set

    'set' allows more than two items; 'pair' is strictly two.

  • couple

    'a couple of' is informal and often vague (about two); 'a pair of' is exact and matched.

Grammar Patterns

a pair of + plural noun

Usage Note

Almost always appears in the structure 'a pair of + plural noun'. With two-part objects like scissors, trousers, glasses, jeans, shorts, the verb stays singular: 'this pair of jeans is too tight', not 'are too tight'.

Common Mistakes

I bought a pair of shoe.
I bought a pair of shoes.
the noun after 'pair of' is always plural.
These pair of jeans are nice.
This pair of jeans is nice.
'pair' is singular, so the demonstrative and verb are singular too.

2. two people seen as a unit because they are dating, married, working side by side

2.nounB1
Definition

two people seen as a unit because they are dating, married, working side by side, or sharing the same activity, such as dance partners or research partners.

Example

The young pair held hands as they walked along the beach.

Lina and Diego make a great pair on the dance floor.

two people working / performing together

Common collocations
  • a young pair
  • a happy pair
  • work in pairs
  • a pair of detectives
  • a devoted pair
Synonyms
  • couple

    more often used for romantic partners; 'pair' is broader and includes any two-person team.

  • duo

    stresses performance or fame, often in music or comedy.

  • twosome

    informal, slightly playful tone.

Grammar Patterns

pair of + plural noun for people

Usage Note

Distinct from sense 1: when 'pair' refers to people, it carries a sense of partnership or shared activity, not just 'two of the same kind'. Often appears in the phrase 'work in pairs' for classroom or task contexts.

Common Mistakes

They are pair of friends.
They are a pair of friends.
needs the article 'a'.

3. a male and female animal of the same species that mate together to raise babies,

3.nounB2
Definition

a male and female animal of the same species that mate together to raise babies, often used by zoologists and bird-watchers when describing nesting or breeding behaviour.

Example

A breeding pair of bald eagles built their nest high in the pine tree.

breeding pair of + animal

The zoo introduced a new pair of red pandas to the enclosure last spring.

Common collocations
  • a breeding pair
  • a nesting pair
  • a mating pair
Synonyms
  • mates

    refers to the relationship; 'pair' refers to the unit of two.

Grammar Patterns

a (breeding) pair of + animal noun

Usage Note

Common in conservation and ornithology contexts. 'Breeding pair' is a fixed compound used to count viable reproductive units in a wild population — different from just any two animals of the species.

4. in cricket, the unfortunate result when a batter is dismissed for zero runs in b

4.nounC2
Definition

in cricket, the unfortunate result when a batter is dismissed for zero runs in both turns at bat during the same match, considered a low point in any player's career.

Example

The young opener was devastated after scoring a pair on his test debut.

score a pair (cricket)

Even legendary batters have made a pair at some point in their careers.

Common collocations
  • score a pair
  • make a pair
  • a king pair
  • collect a pair
Synonyms
  • double duck

    informal description; 'pair' is the standard cricket term.

Grammar Patterns

score / make / get a pair

Usage Note

Sport-specific cricket jargon. A 'king pair' is the worst version: out first ball in both innings. Distinct from a 'duck' (single innings with zero runs); a 'pair' is two ducks in one match.

Idioms

a safe pair of hands

idiom

a person you can rely on to handle a task carefully and not make mistakes, often used about leaders, managers, or professionals.

The board chose Mei Lin as treasurer because she is a safe pair of hands with money.

a pair of hands

idiom

an extra person available to help with work, usually physical or practical tasks.

We need another pair of hands in the kitchen before the dinner rush starts.

I've only got one pair of hands

idiom

a complaint that you cannot do everything at once because you are only one person.

Stop asking me to do five things at the same time — I've only got one pair of hands!

in pairs

idiom

arranged or working in groups of two, often used in classrooms, dance lessons, or military drills.

The hiking guide asked everyone to walk in pairs along the narrow mountain path.

I’ve only got one pair of hands

idiom

This phrase means that a person is very busy and cannot do more tasks.

Maya said, "I can't help you now; I've only got one pair of hands."

Do you think I can finish all this work? I've only got one pair of hands!

pair — verb

Word family

  • paired
    adjectiveB2
  • pairing
    nounB2
  • unpair
    verbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a small grouping, but they differ in size, formality, and what holds the items together. 'Pair' is exactly two and stresses that the items match or belong together — 'a pair of shoes', 'a pair of earrings'. 'Couple' technically means two but is often used loosely in informal speech to mean 'about two or three'; it also strongly suggests a romantic relationship when applied to people. 'Set' allows any number from two upward and emphasises completeness — 'a set of keys', 'a chess set'. 'Duo' applies almost only to people, especially performers or famous partnerships in music, comedy, or crime — 'a comedy duo'. So if you want to be precise about two matching items, choose 'pair'; for vague quantity, 'a couple of'; for completeness, 'set'; for performers, 'duo'.

pair ↗couple ↗set ↗duo ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Pair' came into English in the 1200s from Old French 'paire', meaning 'two matching things'. The French word grew from Latin 'paria', the plural of 'par', which simply meant 'equal'. So at its root, a pair is just 'two equals belonging together'. The same Latin root gave English 'par' (equal value, as in 'par for the course') and 'parity' (the state of being equal).