Session definitions

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SES'SION, n. [L. sessio, from sedeo. See Set.]
1. A sitting or being placed; as the ascension of Christ and his session at the right hand of God.
2. The actual sitting of a court, council, legislature, etc.; or the actual assembly of the members of these o rany similar body for the transaction of business. Thus we say, the court is now in session, meaning that the members are assembled for business.
3. The time, space or term during which a court, council, legislature and the like, meet for daily business; or the space of time between the first meeting and the prorogation of adjournment. Thus a session of parliament is opened with a speech from the throne, and closed by prorogation. The session of a judicial court is called a term. Thus a court may have two sessions or four sessions annually. The supreme court of the United States has one anual session. The legislatures of most of the states have one anualsession only; some have more. The congress of the United States has one only.
4. Sessions, in some of the states, is particularly used for a court of justices, held for granting licenses to innkeepers or taverners, for laying out new highways or altering old ones and the like.
Quarter sessions, in England, is a court held once in every quarter, by two justices of the peace, one of whom is of the quorum, for the trial of small felonies and misdemeanors.
Sessions of the peace, a court consisting of justices of the peace, held in each county for inquiring into trespasses, larcenies, forestalling, etc. and in general, for the conversation of the peace.
SESS'-POOL, n. [sess and pool] A cavity sunk into the earth to receive and retain the sediment of water conveyed in drains. Sess-pools should be placed at proper distances in all drains, and particularly should one be placed at the entrance.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a meeting for execution of a group's functions; "it was the opening session of the legislature"
2: the time during which a school holds classes; "they had to shorten the school term" [syn: school term, academic term, academic session, session]
3: a meeting devoted to a particular activity; "a filming session"; "a gossip session"
4: a meeting of spiritualists; "the seance was held in the medium's parlor" [syn: seance, sitting, session]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin session-, sessio, literally, act of sitting, from sed?re to sit — more at sit Date: 14th century 1. a meeting or series of meetings of a body (as a court or legislature) for the transaction of business <morning session> 2. plural a. (1) a sitting of English justices of peace in execution of the powers conferred by their commissions (2) an English court holding such sessions b. any of various courts similar to the English sessions 3. the period between the first meeting of a legislative or judicial body and the prorogation or final adjournment 4. the ruling body of a Presbyterian congregation consisting of the elders in active service 5. the period during the year or day in which a school conducts classes 6. a meeting or period devoted to a particular activity <a recording session> • sessional adjective II. adjective Date: 1958 employed to perform at recording sessions <a session drummer>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 the process of assembly of a deliberative or judicial body to conduct its business. 2 a single meeting for this purpose. 3 a period during which such meetings are regularly held. 4 a an academic year. b the period during which a school etc. has classes. 5 a period devoted to an activity (poker session; recording session). 6 the governing body of a Presbyterian Church. Phrases and idioms: in session assembled for business; not on vacation. petty sessions 1 a meeting of two or more magistrates for the summary trial of certain offences. 2 = quarter sessions. Derivatives: sessional adj. Etymology: ME f. OF session or L sessio -onis (as SESSILE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Session Ses"sion, n. [L. sessio, fr. sedere, sessum, to sit: cf. F. session. See Sit.] 1. The act of sitting, or the state of being seated. [Archaic] So much his ascension into heaven and his session at the right hand of God do import. --Hooker. But Viven, gathering somewhat of his mood, . . . Leaped from her session on his lap, and stood. --Tennyson. 2. The actual sitting of a court, council, legislature, etc., or the actual assembly of the members of such a body, for the transaction of business. It's fit this royal session do proceed. --Shak. 3. Hence, also, the time, period, or term during which a court, council, legislature, etc., meets daily for business; or, the space of time between the first meeting and the prorogation or adjournment; thus, a session of Parliaments is opened with a speech from the throne, and closed by prorogation. The session of a judicial court is called a term. It was resolved that the convocation should meet at the beginning of the next session of Parliament. --Macaulay. Note: Sessions, in some of the States, is particularly used as a title for a court of justices, held for granting licenses to innkeepers, etc., and for laying out highways, and the like; it is also the title of several courts of criminal jurisdiction in England and the United States. Church session, the lowest court in the Presbyterian Church, composed of the pastor and a body of elders elected by the members of a particular church, and having the care of matters pertaining to the religious interests of that church, as the admission and dismission of members, discipline, etc. Court of Session, the supreme civil court of Scotland. Quarter sessions. (Eng.Law) See under Quarter. Sessions of the peace, sittings held by justices of the peace. [Eng.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(sessions) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A session is a meeting of a court, parliament, or other official group. ...an emergency session of parliament... After two late night sessions, the Security Council has failed to reach agreement... The court was in session. N-COUNT: also in N 2. A session is a period during which the meetings of a court, parliament, or other official group are regularly held. The parliamentary session ends on October 4th... N-COUNT: also in N 3. A session of a particular activity is a period of that activity. The two leaders emerged for a photo session. ...group therapy sessions. N-COUNT: usu with supp 4. Session musicians are employed to play backing music in recording studios. He established himself as a session musician. ADJ: ADJ n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Sitting (of a court, of a legislature, etc.).

Moby Thesaurus

Council of Nicaea, Council of Trent, Lateran Council, Vatican Council, abundant year, academic year, annum, assemblee, assembly, assignation, at home, audience, ball, bargaining, bargaining session, bissextile year, brawl, calendar month, calendar year, caucus, century, chapter, classis, colloquium, commission, committee, common year, conciliarism, conclave, concourse, confab, confabulation, conference, confrontation, congregation, congress, consistory, consultation, conventicle, convention, convocation, council, council fire, council of war, dance, date, day, decade, decennary, decennium, defective year, diet, diocesan conference, discussion, ecclesiastical council, ecumenical council, eisteddfod, exchange of views, eyeball-to-eyeball encounter, festivity, fete, fiscal year, forgathering, fortnight, forum, gathering, get-together, hearing, high-level talk, hour, housewarming, huddle, interchange of views, interview, leap year, levee, lunar month, lunar year, lunation, luster, lustrum, man-hour, meet, meeting, microsecond, millennium, millisecond, minute, moment, month, moon, negotiations, news conference, palaver, panel, parley, parochial church council, parochial council, party, period, plenary council, plenum, pourparler, powwow, presbytery, press conference, prom, quarter, quinquennium, quorum, rally, reception, regular year, rendezvous, seance, seating, second, semester, shindig, sidereal year, sit-in, sitting, soiree, solar year, summit, summit conference, summitry, sun, symposium, synod, term, trimester, turnout, twelvemonth, vestry, week, weekday, year