Adjacent Words

Court definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COURT, n.
1. A place in front of a house, inclosed by a wall or fence; in popular language, a court-yard.
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.
4. The hall, chamber or place where justice is administered.
St. Paul was brought into the highest court in Athens.
5. Persons who compose the retinue or council of a king or emperor.
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; etc. 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 inclosed 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.
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.
3. To attempt to gain by address; to solicit; to seek; as, to court commendation or applause.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business [syn: court, tribunal, judicature]
2: a room in which a lawcourt sits; "television cameras were admitted in the courtroom" [syn: court, courtroom]
3: the sovereign and his advisers who are the governing power of a state [syn: court, royal court]
4: a specially marked horizontal area within which a game is played; "players had to reserve a court in advance"
5: Australian woman tennis player who won many major championships (born in 1947) [syn: Court, Margaret Court]
6: the family and retinue of a sovereign or prince [syn: court, royal court]
7: a hotel for motorists; provides direct access from rooms to parking area [syn: motor hotel, motor inn, motor lodge, tourist court, court]
8: a tribunal that is presided over by a magistrate or by one or more judges who administer justice according to the laws [syn: court, lawcourt, court of law, court of justice]
9: the residence of a sovereign or nobleman; "the king will visit the duke's court"
10: an area wholly or partly surrounded by walls or buildings; "the house was built around an inner court" [syn: court, courtyard]
11: respectful deference; "pay court to the emperor" [syn: court, homage] v
1: make amorous advances towards; "John is courting Mary" [syn: woo, court, romance, solicit]
2: seek someone's favor; "China is wooing Russia" [syn: woo, court]
3: engage in social activities leading to marriage; "We were courting for over ten years"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French curt, court, from Latin cohort-, cohors enclosure, group, retinue, cohort, from co- + -hort-, -hors (akin to hortus garden) — more at yard Date: 12th century 1. a. the residence or establishment of a sovereign or similar dignitary b. a sovereign's formal assembly of councillors and officers c. the sovereign and officers and advisers who are the governing power d. the family and retinue of a sovereign e. a reception held by a sovereign 2. a. (1) a manor house or large building surrounded by usually enclosed grounds (2) motel b. an open space enclosed wholly or partly by buildings or circumscribed by a single building c. a quadrangular space walled or marked off for playing one of various games with a ball (as lawn tennis, handball, or basketball); also a division of such a court d. a wide alley with only one opening onto a street 3. a. an official assembly for the transaction of judicial business b. a session of such a court <court is now adjourned> c. a place (as a chamber) for the administration of justice d. a judge or judges in session; also a faculty or agency of judgment or evaluation <rest our case in the court of world opinion — L. H. Marks> 4. a. an assembly or board with legislative or administrative powers b. parliament, legislature 5. conduct or attention intended to win favor or dispel hostility ; homage <pay court to the king> II. verb Date: 1567 transitive verb 1. a. to seek to gain or achieve <court power> b. (1) allure, tempt (2) to act so as to invite or provoke <courts disaster> 2. a. to seek the affections of; especially to seek to win a pledge of marriage from b. of an animal to perform actions in order to attract for mating <a male bird courting a female> 3. a. to seek to attract (as by solicitous attention or offers of advantages) <college teams courting high school basketball stars> b. to seek an alliance with intransitive verb 1. to engage in social activities leading to engagement and marriage 2. of an animal to engage in activity leading to mating

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 (in full court of law) a an assembly of judges or other persons acting as a tribunal in civil and criminal cases. b = COURTROOM. 2 a an enclosed quadrangular area for games, which may be open or covered (tennis-court; squash-court). b an area marked out for lawn tennis etc. (hit the ball out of court). 3 a a small enclosed street in a town, having a yard surrounded by houses, and adjoining a larger street. b Brit. = COURTYARD. c (Court) the name of a large house, block of flats, street, etc. (Grosvenor Court). d (at Cambridge University) a college quadrangle. e a subdivision of a building, usu. a large hall extending to the ceiling with galleries and staircases. 4 a the establishment, retinue, and courtiers of a sovereign. b a sovereign and his or her councillors, constituting a ruling power. c a sovereign's residence. d an assembly held by a sovereign; a State reception. 5 attention paid to a person whose favour, love, or interest is sought (paid court to her). 6 a the qualified members of a company or a corporation. b (in some Friendly Societies) a local branch. c a meeting of a court. --v.tr. 1 a try to win the affection or favour of (a person). b pay amorous attention to (courting couples). 2 seek to win (applause, fame, etc.). 3 invite (misfortune) by one's actions (you are courting disaster). Phrases and idioms: court-card a playing-card that is a king, queen, or jack (orig. coat-card). court circular Brit. a daily report of royal court affairs, published in some newspapers. court dress formal dress worn at a royal court. court-house 1 a building in which a judicial court is held. 2 US a building containing the administrative offices of a county. Court leet see LEET(1). Court of Appeal a court of law hearing appeals against judgements in the Crown Court, High Court, County Court, etc. Court of Protection Brit. the department of the Supreme Court attending to the affairs of the mentally unfit. court of record a court whose proceedings are recorded and available as evidence of fact. Court of St James's the British sovereign's court. Court of Session the supreme civil court in Scotland. court of summary jurisdiction a court having the authority to use summary proceedings and arrive at a judgement or conviction. court order a direction issued by a court or a judge, usu. requiring a person to do or not do something. court plaster hist. sticking-plaster for cuts etc. (formerly used by ladies at court for face-patches). court roll hist. a manorial-court register of holdings. court shoe a woman's light, usu. high-heeled, shoe with a low-cut upper. court tennis US real tennis. go to court take legal action. in court appearing as a party or an advocate in a court of law. out of court 1 (of a plaintiff) not entitled to be heard. 2 (of a settlement) arranged before a hearing or judgement can take place. 3 not worthy of consideration (that suggestion is out of court). Etymology: ME f. AF curt, OF cort, ult. f. L cohors, -hortis yard, retinue: (v.) after OIt. corteare, OF courtoyer

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Court Court, n. Court of claims (Law), a court for settling claims against a state or government; specif., a court of the United States, created by act of Congress, and holding its sessions at Washington. It is given jurisdiction over claims on contracts against the government, and sometimes may advise the government as to its liabilities. Couveuse Cou`veuse", n. [F.] (Med.) An incubator for sickly infants, esp. those prematurely born.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Court Court (k?rt), n. [OF. court, curt, cort, F. co?r, LL. cortis, fr. L. cohors, cors, chors, gen. cohortis, cortis, chortis, an inclosure, court, thing inclosed, crowd, throng; co- + a root akin to Gr. ???? inclosure, feeding place, and to E. garden, yard, orchard. See Yard, and cf. Cohort, Curtain.] 1. An inclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different building; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley. The courts the house of our God. --Ps. cxxxv. 2. And round the cool green courts there ran a row Cf cloisters. --Tennyson. Goldsmith took a garret in a miserable court. --Macaulay. 2. The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or ether dignitary; a palace. Attends the emperor in his royal court. --Shak. This our court, infected with their manners, Shows like a riotous inn. --Shak. 3. The collective body of persons composing the retinue of a sovereign or person high in authority; all the surroundings of a sovereign in his regal state. My lord, there is a nobleman of the court at door would speak with you. --Shak. Love rules the court, the camp, the grove. --Sir. W. Scott. 4. Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign; as, to hold a court. The princesses held their court within the fortress. --Macaulay. 5. Attention directed to a person in power; conduct or address designed to gain favor; courtliness of manners; civility; compliment; flattery. No solace could her paramour intreat Her once to show, ne court, nor dalliance. --Spenser. I went to make my court to the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle. --Evelyn. 6. (Law) (a) The hall, chamber, or place, where justice is administered. (b) The persons officially assembled under authority of law, at the appropriate time and place, for the administration of justice; an official assembly, legally met together for the transaction of judicial business; a judge or judges sitting for the hearing or trial of causes. (c) A tribunal established for the administration of justice. (d) The judge or judges; as distinguished from the counsel or jury, or both. Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the judgment. --Shak. 7. The session of a judicial assembly. 8. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical. 9. A place arranged for playing the game of tennis; also, one of the divisions of a tennis court. Christian court, the English ecclesiastical courts in the aggregate, or any one of them. Court breeding, education acquired at court. Court card. Same as Coat card. Court circular, one or more paragraphs of news respecting the sovereign and the royal family, together with the proceedings or movements of the court generally, supplied to the newspapers by an officer specially charged with such duty. [Eng.] --Edwards. Court day, a day on which a court sits to administer justice. Court dress, the dress prescribed for appearance at the court of a sovereign. Court fool, a buffoon or jester, formerly kept by princes and nobles for their amusement. Court guide, a directory of the names and adresses of the nobility and gentry in a town. Court hand, the hand or manner of writing used in records and judicial proceedings. --Shak. Court lands (Eng. Law), lands kept in demesne, -- that is, for the use of the lord and his family. Court marshal, one who acts as marshal for a court. Court party, a party attached to the court. Court rolls, the records of a court. SeeRoll. Court in banc, or Court in bank, The full court sitting at its regular terms for the hearing of arguments upon questions of law, as distinguished from a sitting at nisi prius. Court of Arches, audience, etc. See under Arches, Audience, etc. Court of Chancery. See Chancery, n. Court of Common pleas. (Law) See Common pleas, under Common. Court of Equity. See under Equity, and Chancery. Court of Inquiry (Mil.), a court appointed to inquire into and report on some military matter, as the conduct of an officer. Court of St. James, the usual designation of the British Court; -- so called from the old palace of St. James, which is used for the royal receptions, levees, and drawing-rooms. The court of the Lord, the temple at Jerusalem; hence, a church, or Christian house of worship. General Court, the legislature of a State; -- so called from having had, in the colonial days, judicial power; as, the General Court of Massachusetts. [U.S.] To pay one's court, to seek to gain favor by attentions. ``Alcibiades was assiduous in paying his court to Tissaphernes.'' --Jowett. To put out of court, to refuse further judicial hearing.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Court Court, v. i. 1. To play the lover; to woo; as, to go courting.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Court Court, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Courted; p. pr. & vb. n. Courting.] 1. To endeavor to gain the favor of by attention or flattery; to try to ingratiate one's self with. By one person, hovever, Portland was still assiduously courted. --Macaulay. 2. To endeavor to gain the affections of; to seek in marriage; to woo. If either of you both love Katharina . . . leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. --Shak. 3. To attempt to gain; to solicit; to seek. They might almost seem to have courted the crown of martyrdem. --Prescott. Guilt and misery . . . court privacy and silitude. --De Quincey. 4. To invite by attractions; to allure; to attract. A well-worn pathway courted us To one green wicket in a privet hedge. --Tennyson.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

I. NOUN USES (courts) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A court is a place where legal matters are decided by a judge and jury or by a magistrate. At this rate, we could find ourselves in the divorce courts! ...a county court judge... He was deported on a court order following a conviction for armed robbery... The 28-year-old striker was in court last week for breaking a rival player's jaw. N-COUNT: oft n N, N n, also in/at N 2. You can refer to the people in a court, especially the judge, jury, or magistrates, as a court. A court at Tampa, Florida has convicted five officials on drugs charges. N-COUNT 3. A court is an area in which you play a game such as tennis, basketball, badminton, or squash. The hotel has several tennis and squash courts... She watched a few of the games while waiting to go on court. N-COUNT: usu supp N, also on/off N 4. The court of a king or queen is the place where he or she lives and carries out ceremonial or administrative duties. She came to visit England, where she was presented at the court of James I... N-COUNT: oft with poss, also at N 5. see also Crown Court, High Court, kangaroo court 6. If you go to court or take someone to court, you take legal action against them. They have received at least twenty thousand pounds each but had gone to court to demand more. ...members of trade associations who want to take bad debtors to court. PHRASE: V inflects 7. If someone holds court in a place, they are surrounded by a lot of people who are paying them a lot of attention because they are interesting or famous. ...in the days when Marlene Dietrich and Ernest Hemingway held court in the famous El Floridita club. PHRASE: V inflects 8. If a legal matter is decided or settled out of court, it is decided without legal action being taken in a court of law. ...a payment of two million pounds in an out of court settlement. PHRASE: PHR after v, PHR n II. VERB USES (courts, courting, courted) 1. To court a particular person, group, or country means to try to please them or improve your relations with them, often so that they will do something that you want them to do. (JOURNALISM) Both Democratic and Republican parties are courting former supporters of Ross Perot... VERB: V n 2. If you court something such as publicity or popularity, you try to attract it. Having spent a lifetime avidly courting publicity, Paul has suddenly become secretive. VERB: V n 3. If you court something unpleasant such as disaster or unpopularity, you act in a way that makes it likely to happen. If he thinks he can remain in power by force he is courting disaster... = invite VERB: V n

Easton's Bible Dictionary

the enclosure of the tabernacle (Ex. 27:9-19; 40:8), of the temple (1 Kings 6:36), of a prison (Neh. 3:25), of a private house (2 Sam. 17:18), and of a king's palace (2 Kings 20:4).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kort.

See HOUSE.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Royal household, princely retinue. 2. Judicial tribunal, court of justice. 3. Courtyard, inclosed area, quadrangle. 4. Solicitation(s), addresses, civilities, flattering attention, respects, homage. II. v. a. 1. Flatter, coddle, try to please, endeavor to ingratiate one's self with, fawn upon, pay court to. 2. Woo, pay one's addresses to, make love to. 3. Seek, solicit, strive to gain. 4. Invite, solicit, woo.

Moby Thesaurus

Autobahn, British Cabinet, Rasputin, Sanhedrin, Svengali, US Cabinet, US highway, VIP, access, act up to, address, addresses, advisory body, agree to anything, alley, alleyway, allure, amorous pursuit, angle for, approach, archery ground, arena, arterial, arterial highway, arterial street, artery, assembly, association, athletic field, attendance, attendant, attract, autoroute, autostrada, avenue, bad influence, badminton court, bar, baseball field, basketball court, beak, beau, belt highway, bench, bicameral legislature, bid for, big wheel, billiard parlor, blind alley, board, board of aldermen, body of advisers, body of retainers, borough council, boulevard, bowling alley, bowling green, brain trust, break the ice, brown-nose, bypass, byway, cabinet, camarilla, camino real, canvass, captivate, carriageway, castle, causeway, causey, chamber, chamber of deputies, charm, chase, chaussee, cincture, circumferential, city board, city council, close, cohort, commission, common council, conference, confine, congress, consultative assembly, container, coop, corduroy road, cortege, council, council fire, council of ministers, council of state, council of war, county council, county road, course, court of arbitration, court of justice, court of law, courthouse, courting, courtroom, courtyard, crescent, cricket ground, croquet ground, croquet lawn, cul-de-sac, cultivate, curry favor, curtilage, dance attendance on, dead-end street, deliberative assembly, delimited field, diamond, diet, dike, directory, dirt road, divan, dock, drive, driveway, eminence grise, enclave, enclosure, entourage, esquire, expressway, fairway, fall over, fawn upon, federal assembly, field, fish for, five-percenter, fold, follow, follower, following, football field, freeway, friend at court, gallantry, general assembly, glaciarium, golf course, golf links, good influence, gravel road, gray eminence, gridiron, ground, gym, gymnasium, heavyweight, hidden hand, highroad, highway, highways and byways, house of assembly, ice rink, infield, influence, influence peddler, influencer, ingroup, interstate highway, judgment, judicatory, judicature, judicial process, judiciary, junta, jury box, justice, key, kingmaker, kitchen cabinet, lane, law court, lay siege to, legal tribunal, legislative assembly, legislative body, legislative chamber, legislature, links, list, lobby, lobbyist, local road, look for, lords of creation, lower chamber, lower house, magistrate, main drag, main road, make advances, make court to, make suit to, make up to, man of influence, manipulator, mansion, mews, motorway, national assembly, open sesame, outfield, oval, palace, palais, palatial residence, palazzo, pale, paling, parasite, parish council, park, parkway, parliament, pave, paved road, pay addresses to, pay attention to, pay court to, pen, pike, place, plank road, play up to, playground, playing field, playroom, polish the apple, polo ground, pool hall, poolroom, pop the question, powers that be, pressure group, primary highway, private road, privy council, provincial legislature, provincial parliament, pursue, putting green, quad, quadrangle, racecourse, racket court, representative town meeting, retinue, right-of-way, ring road, rink, road, roadbed, roadway, rout, route nationale, row, royal road, run after, satellite, secondary road, seek, serenade, shine up to, sinister influence, skating rink, soccer field, solicit, soviet, spark, special interests, special-interest group, speedway, square, squash court, squire, staff, state assembly, state highway, state legislature, street, stretch, suck up to, sue, sue for, suing, suit, suite, superhighway, swain, sweetheart, syndicate, synod, tennis court, terrace, the Establishment, the courts, theater, thoroughfare, through street, thruway, toft, toll road, tower, town hall, town house, town meeting, township road, track, train, tribunal, turf, turnpike, unicameral legislature, upper chamber, upper house, very important person, villa, wheeler-dealer, wire-puller, witness box, witness stand, woo, wooing, wynd, yard