pairs

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of pair.

   The store stocks dozens of pairs of scissors behind the counter.

   Two pairs of swans nested along the riverbank this spring.

   Note

   The counting word for things English names only in the plural. Scissors and trousers have no singular, so more than one is counted in pairs: three pairs of scissors. The same plural counts couples of people and yoked working animals, and it is usually followed by of. Spelled identically, the verb form means matching or grouping things in twos.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of pair.

   A skilled cook pairs rich dishes with a sharp, acidic sauce.

   The matchmaking service pairs clients based on shared interests.

   Note

   Here the -s marks a verb, not a plural, and it works in two directions. Transitively, someone pairs one thing with another, as a cook pairs a dish with a sauce. Intransitively, something pairs with its counterpart because it suits it, and a device pairs with another wirelessly. As slang, a voter pairs with an opponent of the opposite opinion so that neither votes.

3. 3
   noununcountable

   A memory card game in which all cards lie face down and players turn them two at a time, keeping the ones that match.

   Like testing your memory against a grid of face-down cards, recalling where each match hides.

   We set out the whole deck and played pairs after dinner.

   Teachers often use pairs to help younger students sharpen their recall.

   Similarpelmanism

   Note

   Pelmanism is the other name for the same game. The plainer name simply describes what the players are hunting for: the matched twos they lift from the table and keep, so the game is named after its prize.

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