Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COU-RANT', or COU-RAN'TO, n. [Fr. courante, running.]

1. A piece of music in triple time; also, a kind of dance, consisting of a time, a step, a balance, and a coupee. – Encyc.
2. A title of a newspaper.

COU-RAP', n.

A distemper in the East Indies; a kind of herpes or itch in the arm-pits, groin, breast, and face. – Encyc.

COURB, a.

Crooked. [Not in use.]

COURB, v.i. [Fr. courber.]

– Encyc. To bend. [Not in use.]

COUR'BA-RIL, n.

Anime, a resinous substance which flows from the Hymenæa, a tree of South America; used for varnishing. – Fourcroy.

COUR'IER, n. [Fr. courier, from courir, to run, L. curro.]

A messenger sent express for conveying letters or dispatches on public business.

COURSE, n. [Fr. course; Sp. curso; It. corso; Ir. cursa; from L. cursus, from curro, to run, W. gyru, Eng. hurry. See Class Gr, No. 7, 15, 32, 34.]

1. In its general sense, a passing; a moving, or motion forward, in a direct or curving line; applicable to any body or distance, solid or fluid. Applied to animals, a running, or walking; a race; a career; a passing, or passage, with any degree of swiftness indefinitely. Applied to fluids, a flowing, as in a stream in any direction; as, a straight course, or winding course. It is applied to water or other liquids, to air or wind, and to light, in the sense of motion or passing. Applied to solid bodies, it signifies motion or passing; as, the course of a rolling stone; the course of a carriage; the course of the earth in its orbit. Applied to navigation, it signifies a passing or motion on water, or in balloons in air; a voyage.
2. The direction of motion; line of advancing; point of compass, in which motion is directed; as, what course shall the pilot steer? In technical language, the angle contained between the nearest meridian and that point of compass on which a ship sails in any direction. – Mar. Dict.
3. Ground on which a race is run.
4. A passing or process; the progress of any thing; as, the course of an argument, or of a debate; a course of thought of reflection.
5. Order of proceeding or of passing from an ancestor to an heir; as, the course of descent in inheritance.
6. Order; turn; class; succession of one to another in office, or duty. The chief fathers of every course. – 1 Chron. xxvii. Solomon appointed the courses of the priests. – 2 Chron. viii.
7. Stated and orderly method of proceeding; usual manner. He obtained redress in due course of law. Leave nature to her course.
8. Series of successive and methodical procedure; a train of acts, or applications; as, a course of medicine administered.
9. A methodical series, applied to the arts or sciences; a systemized order of principles in arts or sciences, for illustration or instruction. We say, the author has completed a course of principles or of lectures in philosophy. Also, the order pursued by a student; as, he has completed a course of studies in law or physics.
10. Manner of proceeding; way of life or conduct; deportment; series of actions. That I might finish my course with joy. – Acts xx. Their course is evil. – Jer. xxii.
11. Line of conduct; manner of proceeding; as, we know not what course to pursue.
12. Natural bent; propensity; uncontrolled will. Let not a perverse child take his own course.
13. Tilt; act of running in the lists.
14. Orderly structure; system. The tongue setteth on fire the course of nature. – James iii.
15. Any regular series. In architecture, a continued range of stones, level or of the same highth, throughout the whole length of the building, and not interrupted by any aperture. A laying of bricks, &c.
16. The dishes set on table at one time; service of meat.
17. Regularity; order; regular succession; as, let the classes follow in course.
18. Empty form; as, compliments are often words of course. Of course, by consequence; in regular or natural order; in the common manner of proceeding; without special direction or provision. This effect will follow of course. If the defendant resides not in the state, the cause is continued of course.

COURSE, v.i.

To run; to move with speed; to run or move about; as, the blood courses. – Shak. The greyhounds coursed through the fields.

COURSE, v.t.

1. To hunt; to pursue; to chase. We coursed him at the heels. – Shak.
2. To cause to run; to force to move with speed. – May.
3. To run through or over. The blood courses the winding arteries. The bounding steed courses the dusty plain.

COURS'ED, pp.

Hunted; chased; pursued; caused to run.

COURS'ER, n.

1. A swift horse; a runner; a war horse; a word used chiefly in poetry. – Dryden. Pope.
2. One who hunts; one who pursues the sport of coursing hares. – Johnson.
3. A disputant. [Not in use.] – Wood.
4. An order of fowls which have short wings, and move chiefly by running, as the ostrich, dodo, and cassowary. – Kirby.

COURS'ES, n. [plur.]

1. In a ship, the principal sails, as the main sail, fore sail, and mizzen: sometimes the name is given to the stay sails on the lower masts; also to the main stay sails of all brigs and schooners. – Mar. Dict.
2. Catamenia; menstrual flux.

COURS'EY, n.

Part of the hatches in a galley. – Sherwood.

COURS'ING, n.

The act or sport of chasing and hunting hares, foxes, or deer.

COURS'ING, ppr.

Hunting; chasing; running; flowing; compelling to run.

COURT, n. [Sax. curt; Fr. cour; Arm. court; It. corte; Sp. corte; Port. corte; L. curia; Ir. cuirt. The primary sense and application are not perfectly obvious. Most probably the word is from a verb which signifies to go round, to collect. W. cwr, a circle; Ar. كَارَ kaura, to go round, to collect, to bind. Hence applied to yard, or inclosure. See Class Gr, No. 32, 34. It may possibly be allied to yard, Goth. gards; or it may be derived from a verb signifying to cut off or separate, and primarily signify the fence that cuts off or excludes access. The former is most probable.]

1. A place in front of a house, inclosed by a wall or fence; in popular language, a court-yard. – Bacon. Dryden.
2. A space inclosed by houses, broader than a street; or a space forming a kind of recess from a public street.
3. A palace; the place of residence of a king or sovereign prince. – Europe.
4. The hall, chamber or place where justice is administered. St. Paul was brought into the highest court in Athens. – Atterbury.
5. Persons who compose the retinue or council of a king or emperor. – Temple.
6. The persons or judges assembled for hearing and deciding causes, civil, criminal, military, naval, or ecclesiastical; as, a court of law; a court of chancery; a court martial; a court of admiralty; an ecclesiastical court; court baron, &c. Hence,
7. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical.
8. The art of pleasing; the art of insinuation; civility; flattery; address to gain favor. Hence the phrase, to make court, to attempt to please by flattery and address.
9. In Scripture, an enclosed part of the entrance into a palace or house. The tabernacle had one court; the temple three. The first was the court of the Gentiles; the second, the court of Israel, in which the people worshiped; the third was the court of the priests, where the priests and Levites exercised their ministry. Hence places of public worship are called the courts of the Lord.
10. In the United States, a legislature consisting of two houses; as the General Court of Massachusetts. The original constitution of Connecticut established a General Court in 1639. – B. Trumbull.
11. A session of the Legislature.

COURT, v.t.

1. In a general sense, to flatter; to endeavor to please by civilities and address; a use of the word derived from the manners of a court.
2. To woo; to solicit for marriage. A thousand court you, though they court in vain. – Pope.
3. To attempt to gain by address; to solicit; to seek; as, to court commendation or applause.

COURT'-BAR'ON, n.

A baron's court; a court incident to a manor. – Blackstone.

COURT'-BRED, a. [See Breed.]

Bred at court. – Churchill.

COURT'-BREED-ING, n.

Education at a court. – Milton.

COURT'-BUB-BLE, n.

The trifle of a court. – Beaum.

COURT'-CHAP-LAIN, n.

A chaplain to a king or prince.

COURT'-CUP-BOARD, n.

The sideboard of ancient days. – Shak.

COURT'-DAY, n.

A day in which a court sits to administer justice.

COURT'-DRESS, n.

A dress suitable for an appearance at court or levee.