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discourse

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discourse

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Discourse  \Dis*course"\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Discoursed};  p. 
  pr  &  vb  n.  {Discoursing}.] 
  1.  To  exercise  reason;  to  employ  the  mind  in  judging  and 
  inferring;  to  reason.  [Obs.]  ``Have  sense  or  can 
  discourse.''  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  express  one's  self  in  oral  discourse;  to  expose  one's 
  views;  to  talk  in  a  continuous  or  formal  manner;  to  hold 
  forth;  to  speak;  to  converse. 
 
  Bid  me  discourse,  I  will  enchant  thine  ear.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  To  relate  something  to  tell  --Shak. 
 
  4.  To  treat  of  something  in  writing  and  formally. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Discourse  \Dis*course"\,  n.  [L.  discursus  a  running  to  and  fro, 
  discourse,  fr  discurrere  discursum,  to  run  to  and  fro,  to 
  discourse;  dis-  +  currere  to  run:  cf  F.  discours.  See 
  {Course}.] 
  1.  The  power  of  the  mind  to  reason  or  infer  by  running,  as  it 
  were  from  one  fact  or  reason  to  another,  and  deriving  a 
  conclusion;  an  exercise  or  act  of  this  power;  reasoning; 
  range  of  reasoning  faculty.  [Obs.] 
 
  Difficult,  strange,  and  harsh  to  the  discourses  of 
  natural  reason.  --South. 
 
  Sure  he  that  made  us  with  such  large  discourse, 
  Looking  before  and  after  gave  us  not  That 
  capability  and  godlike  reason  To  fust  in  us  unused. 
  --Shak. 
 
  2.  Conversation;  talk. 
 
  In  their  discourses  after  supper.  --Shak. 
 
  Filling  the  head  with  variety  of  thoughts,  and  the 
  mouth  with  copious  discourse.  --Locke. 
 
  3.  The  art  and  manner  of  speaking  and  conversing. 
 
  Of  excellent  breeding,  admirable  discourse.  --Shak. 
 
  4.  Consecutive  speech,  either  written  or  unwritten,  on  a 
  given  line  of  thought;  speech;  treatise;  dissertation; 
  sermon,  etc.;  as  the  preacher  gave  us  a  long  discourse  on 
  duty. 
 
  5.  Dealing;  transaction.  [Obs.] 
 
  Good  Captain  Bessus,  tell  us  the  discourse  Betwixt 
  Tigranes  and  our  king,  and  how  We  got  the  victory. 
  --Beau.  &  Fl 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Discourse  \Dis*course"\,  v.  t. 
  1.  To  treat  of  to  expose  or  set  forth  in  language.  [Obs.] 
 
  The  life  of  William  Tyndale  .  .  .  is  sufficiently 
  and  at  large  discoursed  in  the  book.  --Foxe. 
 
  2.  To  utter  or  give  forth;  to  speak. 
 
  It  will  discourse  most  eloquent  music.  --Shak. 
 
  3.  To  talk  to  to  confer  with  [Obs.] 
 
  I  have  spoken  to  my  brother,  who  is  the  patron,  to 
  discourse  the  minister  about  it  --Evelyn. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  discourse 
  n  1:  extended  verbal  expression  in  speech  or  writing 
  2:  an  address  of  a  religious  nature  (usually  delivered  during  a 
  church  service)  [syn:  {sermon},  {preaching}] 
  3:  an  extended  communication  (often  interactive)  dealing  with 
  some  particular  topic;  "the  book  contains  an  excellent 
  discussion  of  modal  logic";  "his  treatment  of  the  race 
  question  is  badly  biased"  [syn:  {discussion},  {treatment}] 
  v  1:  to  consider  or  examine  in  speech  or  writing;  "The  article 
  covered  all  the  different  aspects  of  this  question"; 
  "The  class  discussed  Dante's  'Inferno'"  [syn:  {talk 
  about},  {discuss}] 
  2:  carry  on  a  conversation  [syn:  {converse}] 
  3:  talk  or  hold  forth  formally




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