court

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French curt, court, from Latin cohort-, cohors enclosure, group, retinue, cohort, from co- + -hort-, -hors (akin to hortus garden) — more at yard Date: 12th century 1. a. the residence or establishment of a sovereign or similar dignitary b. a sovereign's formal assembly of councillors and officers c. the sovereign and officers and advisers who are the governing power d. the family and retinue of a sovereign e. a reception held by a sovereign 2. a. (1) a manor house or large building surrounded by usually enclosed grounds (2) motel b. an open space enclosed wholly or partly by buildings or circumscribed by a single building c. a quadrangular space walled or marked off for playing one of various games with a ball (as lawn tennis, handball, or basketball); also a division of such a court d. a wide alley with only one opening onto a street 3. a. an official assembly for the transaction of judicial business b. a session of such a court <

court is now adjourned

> c. a place (as a chamber) for the administration of justice d. a judge or judges in session; also a faculty or agency of judgment or evaluation <

rest our case in the court of world opinion — L. H. Marks

> 4. a. an assembly or board with legislative or administrative powers b. parliament, legislature 5. conduct or attention intended to win favor or dispel hostility ; homage <

pay court to the king

> II. verb Date: 1567 transitive verb 1. a. to seek to gain or achieve <

court power

> b. (1) allure, tempt (2) to act so as to invite or provoke <

courts disaster

> 2. a. to seek the affections of; especially to seek to win a pledge of marriage from b. of an animal to perform actions in order to attract for mating <

a male bird courting a female

> 3. a. to seek to attract (as by solicitous attention or offers of advantages) <

college teams courting high school basketball stars

> b. to seek an alliance with intransitive verb 1. to engage in social activities leading to engagement and marriage 2. of an animal to engage in activity leading to mating