[pɛː], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a set of two things used together or regarded as a unit
(e.g: a pair of gloves)

- an article consisting of two joined or corresponding parts not used separately
(e.g: a pair of jeans)

- either or both of two members of a legislative assembly on opposite sides who absent themselves from voting by mutual arrangement, leaving the relative position of the parties unaffected
(e.g: one minister was flatly refused a pair by his Tory opposite number)


Phrases:
- grow a pair
- in pairs
- pair of hands

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)

[pɛː], (Verb)

Definitions:
- put together or join to form a pair
(e.g: she wore a cardigan paired with a matching skirt)

- give (a member of a legislative assembly) another member as a pair, to allow both to absent themselves from a vote without affecting the result
(e.g: arrangements are usually made between the party whips for an absent member on one side to be paired with an absentee on the other)

- wirelessly connect (an electronic device) to another via Bluetooth
(e.g: you'll now be able to pair your watch directly with a set of Bluetooth headphones)


Phrases:
- grow a pair
- in pairs
- pair of hands

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)