DISCOURSE


Meaning of DISCOURSE in English

— discourser , n.

n. /dis"kawrs, -kohrs, dis kawrs", -kohrs"/ ; v. /dis kawrs", -kohrs"/ , n. , v. , discoursed, discoursing .

n.

1. communication of thought by words; talk; conversation: earnest and intelligent discourse.

2. a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing, as a dissertation, treatise, sermon, etc.

3. Ling. any unit of connected speech or writing longer than a sentence.

v.i.

4. to communicate thoughts orally; talk; converse.

5. to treat of a subject formally in speech or writing.

v.t.

6. to utter or give forth (musical sounds).

[ 1325-75; ME discours discursus (sp. by influence of ME cours course), LL: conversation, L: a running to and fro, equiv. to discur ( rere ) to run about ( dis- DIS- 1 + currere to run) + -sus for -tus suffix of v. action ]

Syn. 1. discussion, colloquy, dialogue, chat, parley.

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .