mid-14c., from O.Fr. couche "a bed, lair," from coucher "to lie down," from L. collocare (see
couch (v.)). Traditionally, a couch has the head end only raised, and only half a back; a sofa has both ends raised and a full back; a settee is like a sofa but may be without arms;
an ottoman has neither back nor arms, nor has a divan, the distinctive feature of which is that it goes against a wall. Couch potato first recorded 1979. The first element in Couch-grass (1570s) is a corruption of O.E. cwice (see
quick).