Apparently, I'm a delinquent

[Seanette]

If you want a specific number, ask for a specific number. Don't trust people to have the same interpretation of "couple" or "few" as you.

My sentiments exactly.

[Jester]

This is amusing to me. First of all, by definition, a couple is in fact two. (Although, as noted below, it does sometimes have an indefinite meaning, but not a definite menaing of three.) This does not stop people asking for "a couple" of something and meaning more than two. What is really amusing to me is how many people in my life have insisted that "a few" is exactly three, when in fact "a few" is an undefined number (as is "several".

And now, from those fine folks at the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition (2000), some backup for my above statements (emphases added):

couple. NOUN: 1. Two items of the same kind; a pair. 2. Something that joins or connects two things together; a link. 3. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) a. Two people united, as by betrothal or marriage. b. Two people together. 4. Informal A few; several: a couple of days. 5. Physics A pair of forces of equal magnitude acting in parallel but opposite directions, capable of causing rotation but not translation.

few. NOUN: (used with a pl. verb) 1. An indefinitely small number of persons or things: A few of the books have torn jackets. 2. An exclusive or limited number: the discerning few; the fortunate few.
PRONOUN: (used with a pl. verb) A small number of persons or things: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).
USAGE NOTE: The traditional rule holds that fewer should be used for things that can be counted (fewer than four players), while less should be used with mass terms for things of measurable extent (less paper; less than a gallon of paint). However, less is used in some constructions where fewer would occur if the traditional rule were being followed. Less than can be used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of time, amount, or distance: less than three weeks; less than $400; less than 50 miles. Less is sometimes used with plural nouns in the expressions no less than (as in No less than 30 of his colleagues signed the letter) and or less (as in Give your reasons in 25 words or less).

several. PRONOUN: (used with a pl. verb) An indefinite but small number; some or a few: Several of the workers went home sick.

And now we return you to your regularly scheduled happy hour.

[Rahmota]

Well subjectively unless I need to be objectively precise I use couple, and few interchangeibly for small numbers. Basically 2-5 or so. Seval many a bunch and a buttload are all interchangeable for bigger amounts colloqually speaking.