Court

//kɔːt// name, noun, verb

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname from Middle English for someone who worked or lived in a court.
  2. 2
    A municipality in Bern canton, Switzerland.
Noun
  1. 1
    An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different buildings; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley.

    "The girls were playing in the court."

  2. 2
    respectful deference wordnet
  3. 3
    An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different buildings; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley.; A street with no outlet, a cul-de-sac. Australia, US
  4. 4
    an area wholly or partly surrounded by walls or buildings wordnet
  5. 5
    An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different buildings; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley.; A housing estate under the Home Ownership Scheme. Hong-Kong
Show 21 more definitions
  1. 6
    a specially marked horizontal area within which a game is played wordnet
  2. 7
    An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different buildings; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley.; An apartment building, or a small development of several apartment buildings. Hong-Kong
  3. 8
    a room in which a law court sits wordnet
  4. 9
    Royal society.; The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or other dignitary; a palace.

    "The noblemen visited the queen in her court."

  5. 10
    the residence of a sovereign or nobleman wordnet
  6. 11
    Royal society.; The collective body of persons composing the retinue of a sovereign or person high in authority; all the surroundings of a sovereign in his regal state.

    "Meronym: royal household"

  7. 12
    a hotel for motorists; provides direct access from rooms to parking area wordnet
  8. 13
    Royal society.; Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign.

    "The princesses[…] held their court within the fortress."

  9. 14
    the sovereign and their advisers who are the governing power of a state wordnet
  10. 15
    Attention directed to a person in power; behaviour designed to gain favor; politeness of manner; civility towards someone.

    "No solace could her paramour entreat / Her once to show, ne court, nor dalliance."

  11. 16
    the family and retinue of a sovereign or prince wordnet
  12. 17
    The administration of law.; The hall, chamber, or place, where justice is administered.

    "Many famous criminals have been put on trial in this court."

  13. 18
    an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business wordnet
  14. 19
    The administration of law.; The persons officially assembled under authority of law, at the appropriate time and place, for the administration of justice; an official assembly, legally met together for the transaction of judicial business; a judge or judges sitting for the hearing or trial of cases.

    "The court started proceedings at 11 o'clock."

  15. 20
    The administration of law.; An organization for the administration of law, consisting of a body of judges with a certain jurisdiction along with its administrative apparatus.

    "Each province in Canada has three courts: a provincial court, a superior court, and a court of appeals."

  16. 21
    The administration of law.; The judge or judges or other judicial officer presiding in a particular matter, particularly as distinguished from the counsel or jury, or both. capitalized, often

    "A case conference in person was convened.... To emphasize that it was a Court proceeding the Court was gowned."

  17. 22
    The administration of law.; The session of a judicial assembly.

    "The court is now in session."

  18. 23
    The administration of law.; Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical.
  19. 24
    A place arranged for playing the games of tennis, basketball, handball, badminton, volleyball, squash and some other games

    "The local sports club has six tennis courts and two squash courts."

  20. 25
    A place arranged for playing the games of tennis, basketball, handball, badminton, volleyball, squash and some other games; one of the two divisions of a tennis, badminton or volleyball court, in which the player or players of each team play

    "The photograph at left captures a great serve by Dr. Sadowsky, who will never forget one of Bobby Riggs's serves, which had such a great spin that it landed in his court and bounced back to the other side of the net before he had a chance to return it."

  21. 26
    A space prepared and decorated by certain bird species in which to advertise themselves for a mate.

    "The male Wilson's bird of paradise clears an area of rainforest to create a court in which to perform an elaborate mating dance."

Verb
  1. 1
    To seek to achieve or win (a prize). transitive

    "He was courting big new accounts that previous salesmen had not attempted."

  2. 2
    make amorous advances towards wordnet
  3. 3
    To risk (a consequence, usually negative). transitive

    "She courted controversy with her frank speeches."

  4. 4
    engage in social activities leading to marriage wordnet
  5. 5
    To try to win a commitment to marry from. transitive

    "If either of you both love Katharina […] / Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure."

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    seek someone's favor wordnet
  2. 7
    To engage in behavior conducive to mating with. transitive

    "The bird was courting a potential mate by performing an elaborate dance."

  3. 8
    To attempt to attract; to invite by attractions; to allure. transitive

    "[…] a well-worn pathway courted us / To one green wicket in a privet hedge […]"

  4. 9
    To attempt to gain alliance with. transitive
  5. 10
    To engage in activities intended to win affections. intransitive

    "She's had a few beaus come courting."

  6. 11
    To engage in courtship behavior. intransitive

    "At this time of year, you can see many animals courting."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English court, from Old French cort, curt, from Late Latin cōrs, contracted from Latin cohors. Doublet of cohort. A court (noun sense 4.2) assembled to hear the testimony of Charles Lindbergh. The room is also a court (noun sense 4.1). Professional tennis players playing on a tennis court (noun sense 5) in New Delhi, India

Etymology 2

From Middle English court, from Old French cort, curt, from Late Latin cōrs, contracted from Latin cohors. Doublet of cohort. A court (noun sense 4.2) assembled to hear the testimony of Charles Lindbergh. The room is also a court (noun sense 4.1). Professional tennis players playing on a tennis court (noun sense 5) in New Delhi, India

Etymology 3

* As an English and French surname, from the noun court. Also from the French adjective court (“short”). * As an Irish surname, reduced from McCourt.

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