court

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.

   All round the cool green courts there ran a row / Of cloisters, branched like mighty woods, / Echoing all night to that sonorous flow / Of spouted fountain floods.

   Goldsmith took a garret in a miserable court.

2. 2

   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.

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 housing estate under the Home Ownership Scheme.

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   Royal society. The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or other dignitary; a palace.

   The noblemen visited the queen in her court.

   This our court, infected with their manners, / Shows like a riotous inn.

6. 6

   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

   The queen and her court traveled to the city to welcome back the soldiers.

   My lord, there is a nobleman of the court at door would speak with you.

   Love rules the court, the camp, the grove.

7. 7

   Royal society. Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign.

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

8. 8

   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.

   I went to make court to the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle at their house in Clerkenwell.

9. 9

   The administration of law. The hall, chamber, or place, where justice is administered.

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

10. 10

    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.

    Next month, Clemons will be brought before a court presided over by a "special master", who will review the case one last time. The hearing will be unprecedented in its remit, but at its core will be a simple issue: should Reggie Clemons live or die?

    536(2.1). ... You have the option to elect to be tried by a provincial court judge without a jury; or you may elect to be tried by a judge without a jury; or you may elect to be tried by a court composed of a judge and jury.

11. 11

    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.

12. 12

    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.

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

    [5]... defence alleges there is a reasonable apprehension of bias based on the cumulative effect of several issues including the following: (1) The Court was “crying” during the victim impact statement; (2) The Court laughed or “scoffed” when defence stated its sentencing position; ...(6) The Court’s tone, facial expression and demeanor throughout the proceedings...

13. 13

    The administration of law. The session of a judicial assembly.

    The court is now in session.

    On Thursday morning, a Hennepin County judge formally sentenced Julissa Thaler to the life sentence for Eli Hart's murder. […] After court, family said their focus now turns to fundraising a playground in Mound in Eli Hart's honor […]

14. 14

    The administration of law. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical.

15. 15

    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.

    The shuttlecock landed outside the court.

    By one o'clock the place was choc-a-bloc. […] The restaurant was packed, and the promenade between the two main courts and the subsidiary courts was thronged with healthy-looking youngish people, drawn to the Mecca of tennis from all parts of the country.

16. 16

    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.

17. 17

    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).

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

   On the contrary, they employed the brief respite that was left them in fortifying one another's courage, and in bearing testimony to the truth in so earnest a manner that they might almost seem to have courted the crown of martyrdom.

   Guilt and misery shrink, by a natural instinct, from public notice: they court privacy and solitude: and even in their choice of a grave will sometimes sequester themselves from the general population of the churchyard […]

2. 2

   To risk (a consequence, usually negative).

   She courted controversy with her frank speeches.

   It is not unknown for hot axleboxes to fail completely and for wagons to become derailed as a result. Surely it is courting disaster to allow a train to proceed for up to seven miles with a defective vehicle before it can be brought to a halt?

3. 3

   To attempt to attract, in any way; to invite by attractions.

   Near-synonyms: entice, allure; see also Thesaurus:allure

4. 4

   To attempt to attract, in any way; to invite by attractions. To try to win a commitment to marry from.

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

5. 5

   To attempt to attract, in any way; to invite by attractions. To engage in behavior conducive to mating with.

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

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

   By one person, however, Portland was still assiduously courted, and that person was the king.

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

6. 6

   To attempt to attract, in any way; to invite by attractions. To attempt to gain alliance with.

7. 7

   To attempt to attract, in any way; to invite by attractions. To engage in activities intended to win affections.

   She's had a few beaus come courting.

Forms

plural

courts

past tense

courted

past participle

courted

present participle

courting

third person singular

courts