How many is a couple? A few? Several?
- Thread starter Torrasque
- Start date
Admittedly, I failed at quoting it properly but I had that in mind.
That's actually surprisingly accurate. A couple is supposed to be 2, but some people misuse it.Aedes said:I just can't believe no one quoted [a href="http://xkcd.com/"]xkcd[/a] yet...
Please, allow me:
Now, how I see it, don't think I can use absolute numbers but it's kinda like this:
A couple < A few = Some < Several <= A lot
Some: 1-20
A couple: 2
A few: 3-6
Several: 7-10
A lot: 21-A fuckload.
A fuckload: More than I can count quickly (e.g. 600 bricks, 15 ants, the leaves on a tree)
A couple: 2
A few: 3-6
Several: 7-10
A lot: 21-A fuckload.
A fuckload: More than I can count quickly (e.g. 600 bricks, 15 ants, the leaves on a tree)
A few: 3-4
Some: depends what you're measuring. For bananas, 3-4.
A couple: 2
Several: Upwards of 7, but not more than 10-11.
A lot: depends what you're measuring. For bananas, upwards of 9.
Some: depends what you're measuring. For bananas, 3-4.
A couple: 2
Several: Upwards of 7, but not more than 10-11.
A lot: depends what you're measuring. For bananas, upwards of 9.
A couple: 2
A few: 3-5 or <5% of total i.e. a few voters haven't decided who to vote for.
Some: 6-10 or between 5% & 15% of total
Several: 16% - 25%
A lot: over 50% or more than average. i.e. I ate a lot of grapes = dozens; I ate a lot of pizza = the whole pizza
A few: 3-5 or <5% of total i.e. a few voters haven't decided who to vote for.
Some: 6-10 or between 5% & 15% of total
Several: 16% - 25%
A lot: over 50% or more than average. i.e. I ate a lot of grapes = dozens; I ate a lot of pizza = the whole pizza
A couple is two, the rest depend on the situation, so I look at it this way: A few is less then normal, some less then normal to a standard amount, several more then what you believe is necessary, a lot please take some I'm tired of having it every where. The problem with that system though is that no standard amount really exist for most things.
They are all synonymous to me, they all translate to "a handful".
Just grab however many, whatever I get is whatever a couple/some/several etc is.
Like "I'll be a couple of minutes" means "I'm not far off being there but don't be expecting me in the next 10 seconds".
"grab a couple of screws" *hands over 13*
Although I do get that "are you a couple?" doesn't mean "are you in a relationship with 5 others?"
You get the idea, I was just padding.
Just grab however many, whatever I get is whatever a couple/some/several etc is.
Like "I'll be a couple of minutes" means "I'm not far off being there but don't be expecting me in the next 10 seconds".
"grab a couple of screws" *hands over 13*
Although I do get that "are you a couple?" doesn't mean "are you in a relationship with 5 others?"
You get the idea, I was just padding.
agreed with this,Torrasque said:
this is where i've heard it most
"He has had several opportunities to make good with his *insert here*"
In this context, several seems like it is more than a few, but less than 6-7, so usually i list my order as such:
Couple: 2
Few: 3
Several: 4-5
Some: 6+
after this..you're either saying "shit ton", "truck load" or the exact number
I hate when people ask me for "a couple of lottery tickets." Can you specify? Do you mean two or three or four or five... Can you be more vague?
