voltaic couple

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Voltaic \Vol*ta"ic\, a. [Cf. F. volta["i]que, It. voltaico.] [1913 Webster]

1.Of or pertaining to Alessandro Volta, who first devised apparatus for developing electric currents by chemical action, and established this branch of electric science; discovered by Volta; as, voltaic electricity. [1913 Webster]

2.Of or pertaining to voltaism, or voltaic electricity; as, voltaic induction; the voltaic arc. [1913 Webster]

Note: See the Note under Galvanism. [1913 Webster]

Voltaic arc, a luminous arc, of intense brilliancy, formed between carbon points as electrodes by the passage of a powerful voltaic current.

Voltaic battery, an apparatus variously constructed, consisting of a series of plates or pieces of dissimilar metals, as copper and zinc, arranged in pairs, and subjected to the action of a saline or acid solution, by which a current of electricity is generated whenever the two poles, or ends of the series, are connected by a conductor; a galvanic battery. See Battery, 4. (b), and Note.

Voltaic circuit. See under Circuit.

Voltaic couple or Voltaic element, a single pair of the connected plates of a battery.

Voltaic electricity. See the Note under Electricity.

Voltaic pile, a kind of voltaic battery consisting of alternate disks of dissimilar metals, separated by moistened cloth or paper. See 5th Pile.

Voltaic protection of metals, the protection of a metal exposed to the corrosive action of sea water, saline or acid liquids, or the like, by associating it with a metal which is positive to it, as when iron is galvanized, or coated with zinc. [1913 Webster]

Couple \Cou"ple\ (k[u^]p"'l), n. [F. couple, fr. L. copula a bond, band; co- + apere, aptum, to join. See Art, a., and cf. Copula.]

1.That which joins or links two things together; a bond or tie; a coupler. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

It is in some sort with friends as it is with dogs in couples; they should be of the same size and humor.— L'Estrange.[1913 Webster]

I'll go in couples with her.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.Two of the same kind connected or considered together; a pair; a brace. "A couple of shepherds." --Sir P. Sidney. "A couple of drops" --Addison. "A couple of miles." --Dickens. "A couple of weeks." --Carlyle. [1913 Webster]

Adding one to one we have the complex idea of a couple.— Locke.[1913 Webster]

[Ziba] met him with a couple of asses saddled.— 2 Sam. xvi. 1.[1913 Webster]

3.A male and female associated together; esp., a man and woman who are married or betrothed. [1913 Webster]

Such were our couple, man and wife.— Lloyd.[1913 Webster]

Fair couple linked in happy, nuptial league.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

4.(Arch.) See Couple-close. [1913 Webster]

5.(Elec.) One of the pairs of plates of two metals which compose a voltaic battery; -- called a voltaic couple or galvanic couple. [1913 Webster]

6.(Mech.) Two rotations, movements, etc., which are equal in amount but opposite in direction, and acting along parallel lines or around parallel axes. [1913 Webster]

Note: The effect of a couple of forces is to produce a rotation. A couple of rotations is equivalent to a motion of translation. [1913 Webster]