Pair Students Socks Extra Noun Peə(R Shoes/Boots Gloves/Earrings

• a pair of shoes/boots
• a pair of gloves/earrings
• she pulled on the pair of socks he handed her.
• a huge pair of eyes

pair

1. two things of the same type, especially when they are used or worn together
• a pair of shoes/boots
• a pair of gloves/earrings
• She pulled on the pair of socks he handed her.
• a huge pair of eyes
• A pair of hands grasped her shoulders.
• a pair of aces/kings (= two playing cards that have the same value)
• The winner will receive a pair of tickets to Reykjavik.
• The vase is one of a matching pair.
• Vermeer painted the two pictures as a pair.

Extra Examples

• This sculpture was originally one of a pair owned by the King of France.
• a clean pair of socks
2. an object consisting of two parts that are joined together
• a pair of trousers/pants/jeans
• a pair of glasses/binoculars/scissors
• Buy one pair of glasses and get a second pair free.
• He was wearing a nice pair of denim jeans.
3. two people who are doing something together or who have a particular relationship
• Get pairs of students to act out the dialogue in front of the class.
• Get the students to do the exercise as pair work (= two students work together).
• I've had enough of the pair of you!
• They might seem an unlikely pair, but they've been friends for years.

Extra Examples

• I thought they would make a good pair so I arranged for them to meet.
• The pair were matched for age.
• They make an odd pair.
4. two animals or birds of the same type that are producing young together
• a breeding pair
• a pair of swans
• pair bonding (= the process of animals forming a pair for breeding)
5. two horses working together to pull a carriage
• a carriage and pair
6. in groups of two objects or people
• Students worked in pairs on the project.
• These candles only come in pairs.
7. used to say that you are too busy to do anything else
8. a person who can do, or is doing, a job
• We need an extra pair of hands if we're going to finish on time.
9. a person that you can trust to do a job well
• Colleagues regard him as a safe pair of hands.

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old French paire, from Latin paria ‘equal things’, neuter plural of par ‘equal’. Formerly phrases such as a pair of gloves were expressed without of, as in a pair gloves (compare with German ein Paar Handschuhe).