I. ˈkȯrt 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
court s 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 court ing a female
3.
a. : to seek to attract (as by solicitous attention or offers of advantages)
college teams court ing 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