I. ˈkänˌsȯrt, -sȯ(ə)t, usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin consort-, consors, from com- + sort-, sors lot, fate, share — more at sort
: one that shares the company of or is associated with another: as
a. obsolete : a colleague of one's profession or official office
b. : companion
the criminal and his semirespectable consorts
the second volume is in every respect a splendid consort of the first
specifically : a ship accompanying another
far astern … he could see the brown sail and the red sail of their consorts — C.S.Forester
c. : a wife or husband : spouse , mate
the queen attended the opening of the exhibition with her consort
— compare prince consort
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French consorte company, from consort
1. obsolete : assembly , company , group
in one consort there sat cruel revenge and rancorous despite — Edmund Spenser
2. : concurrence or accord : conjunction , association
I can claim that poetry … had consort with me through life — A.T.Quiller-Couch
— often used with in
he ruled in consort with his father
3.
[probably by folk etymology from Middle French concert — more at concert ]
a. : a group of musicians entertaining by voice or instrument or the entertainment they afford
b. obsolete : harmony of sounds
c. : a set of 16th and 17th century musical instruments of the same family (as viols) played in concert
III. kənˈsȯ(ə)rt, -sȯ(ə)t sometimes ˈkänˌsȯrt, -ˌsȯ(ə)t, i usually -d.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: consort (I)
transitive verb
1. : to unite especially in affection, harmony, company, marriage : associate
the ideas that naturally consort themselves with the word civilization — Isaac Taylor
2.
[ consort (II) (harmony of sounds)]
obsolete : to sound in harmony : harmonize
3. obsolete : escort , attend , accompany
intransitive verb
1. : to keep company
a unit's soldiery … consorting with women — Fred Majdalany
from this time on he consorted more and more with Methodists — Allen Johnson
2.
[ consort (II) (harmony of sounds)]
obsolete : to make harmony : play
3.
[ consort (II) (accord)]
: to be or come into accord : harmonize
except in matters of doctrine Pilgrim and Puritan consorted ill together — V.L.Parrington
the statement of faith … is so inane that … an apostate … can easily consort to it — H.H.Savage
the illustrations consort admirably with the text — Times Literary Supplement