course
(kôrs, k
rs)
KEY
NOUN:
-
- Onward movement in a particular direction; progress:
the course of events.
- Movement in time; duration:
in the course of a year.
- The direction of continuing movement:
took a northern course.
- The route or path taken by something, such as a stream, that moves. See Synonyms at way.
-
Sports
- A designated area of land or water on which a race is held:
the course of a marathon.
- A golf course.
- A mode of action or behavior:
followed the best course and invested her money.
- A typical or natural manner of proceeding or developing; customary passage:
a fad that ran its course.
- A systematic or orderly succession; a sequence:
a course of medical treatments.
- A continuous layer of building material, such as brick or tile, on a wall or roof of a building.
-
- A complete body of prescribed studies constituting a curriculum:
a four-year course in engineering.
- A unit of such a curriculum:
took an introductory course in chemistry; passed her calculus course.
- A part of a meal served as a unit at one time:
The first course was a delicious soup.
-
Nautical
The lowest sail on a mast of a square-rigged ship.
- A point on the compass, especially the one toward which a vehicle, such as a ship, is moving.
VERB:
coursed
,
cours·ing
,
cours·es
VERB:
tr.
- To move swiftly through or over; traverse:
ships coursing the seas.
-
- To hunt (game) with hounds.
- To set (hounds) to chase game.
VERB:
intr.
- To proceed or move swiftly along a specified course:
"Big tears now coursed down her face"
(Iris Murdoch).
- To hunt game with hounds.
IDIOMS:
in due course
- At the proper or right time.
of course
- In the natural or expected order of things; naturally.
- Without any doubt; certainly.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English, from Old French
cours, from Latin
cursus, from past participle of
currere,
to run; see
kers- in Indo-European roots
