n. & v.
--n.
1. literary a conversation; talk. b a dissertation or treatise on an academic subject. c a lecture or sermon.
2 Linguistics a connected series of utterances; a text.
--v.
1. intr. talk; converse.
2 intr. (usu. foll. by of, on, upon) speak or write learnedly or at length (on a subject).
3 tr. archaic give forth (music etc.).
Etymology: ME f. L discursus (as DIS-, COURSE): (v.) partly after F discourir