I. ˈkō(ə)rs, -ȯ(ə)rs, -ōəs, -ȯ(ə)s noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English cours, course, from Old French cors, cours, corse, course, from Latin cursus, from cursus, past past. of Latin currere to run
1.
a. : the act or action of moving in a particular path from point to point
the planets in their courses
b. obsolete : run , gallop
c. archaic : a charge by opposing knights : onset : passage at arms : bout
d. : a life regarded as a race : life history : career
ending his course with fame and wealth
e. : the pursuit of game by hounds — usually used with of or at
the course at the deer
f. : race
a prize for winning the course
g. : a progressing or proceeding along a straight line without change of direction
the ship made many courses sailing through the islands
2. : the path over which something moves or the way which something extends : the line or way described by some motion, progression, or series : the direction taken or the ground traversed : track , way
the course of an ocean current
the course of a mountain range
his course was straight east
as
a. : racecourse
b.
(1) : the track or way taken by a ship or the direction of flight of an airplane : the way projected and assigned usually measured as a clockwise angle from north — see compass course , magnetic course , true course
(2) : a point of the compass
c. obsolete : a fashionable place or way for riding or driving
d. : a channel through which water flows : watercourse
e. : golf course
f. : horizontal direction of a geological structure : strike
3.
a. : accustomed procedure : customary action : usual method of proceeding
the law taking its course
to die according to the course of nature
b. : policy chosen : manner of conducting oneself : conduct especially when reprehensible : way of acting : behavior
persisting in his evil courses
our wisest course is to retreat
c. : progress or progression through a series (as of acts or events) or through a development or a period
watching man's hesitant course through … this time of trouble — Herrymon Maurer
a highway in course of construction
in the course of his service he rose to the rank of colonel
4. : an ordered continuing process, succession, sequence, or series
following the course of the argument
the course of history
the course of the hearings
as
a. : the series of prayers used in the daily canonical hours
b. courses plural : menstruation
c.
(1) : an educational unit usually at the high school, college, or university level consisting of a series of instruction periods (as lectures, recitations, and laboratory sessions) dealing with a particular subject
an English course
a course in trigonometry
(2) : a series of such courses coordinated to constitute a curriculum and leading typically to a degree
a premedical course
a commercial course
d. : a series of doses or medicaments usually administered over a designated period of time
a course of three doses daily for five days
e. : the series of changes or the shifting path through a series of changes that a single bell makes in change ringing
f. : a sequence of different crops in crop rotation
g. : a series of rounds fired at a target or at a series of targets under specified conditions
5. : a single member of a sequence : one item in a series: as
a. : a division of a meal : the part of a meal served at one time with its accompaniments
a seven- course meal
the main course was roast beef
b. : row , layer : as
(1) : a horizontal layer forming one of a series (as of concrete in road making, of lumber in a lumber pile, or of shingles on a roof)
(2) : a continuous level range of brick or masonry throughout a wall
(3) : a lode of ore
(4) : a horizontal row of loops or stitches in knitted fabrics formed by one passage of the yarn or thread — compare wale
(5) : a strake of plating on a ship's hull
c.
(1) : the lowest sail on any square-rigged mast of a ship
the fore course
(2) : a length especially of a rope or cable
d. obsolete : a time or occasion coming to each individual : turn
e. : a set of persons appointed to hold some office or perform some duty
the course of priests then performing the rites
f. archaic : each one of several attacks in series
g. : a set of things made or used together
a course of candles
h. : a single string or two or more strings (as of a lute) tuned in unison or octaves and played together for increased volume
6. : faculty or opportunity of moving, flowing, or circulating
that the word of the Lord may have free course — 2 Thess 3:1 (Authorized Version)
Synonyms: see way
•
- as of course
- in course
- in due course
- in full course
- in short course
- of course
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English coursen, from cours, course, n. — more at course I
transitive verb
1.
a. : to hunt or pursue (game) with hounds
coursing the stag
b. : to chase (game) with dogs by sight rather than scent
course a hare
c. : to cause (dogs) to chase after game
2. : to follow close upon : pursue , run , chase
we coursed him at the heels — Shakespeare
3. obsolete : to drive with blows : bludgeon , trounce
4.
a. : to run or move swiftly through or over : take one's course through : traverse
jets coursed the area daily
b. : to cause (dogs) to run in a race : race
5.
a. : to follow the course of (a stream)
coursing the river
b. : to trace (a bee) by observing flight direction
coursing the bee to its hive
6. : to lay or form in courses
course bricks
coursing the lumber
7. : to divert and direct (an air current) along a certain route through a mine
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to run or gallop especially in a tournament or race or in hunting
b. : to take a course : pursue a certain course
coursing along the coast
c. : to run or drive rapidly and steadily often over a set course or through a certain channel
two Zuni runners … coursed over the sand with the fleetness of young antelope — Willa Cather
d. : to traverse or flow strongly or rapidly especially on or as if on a certain path : pulsate , surge
blood coursing through his veins
sap coursing through the young trees
2. of a bell : to move in change ringing steadily up or down in the striking order through a series of changes
the biggest bell coursing
Synonyms: see run
III.
obsolete
variant of coarse