court Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
    tribunal; judicature.
  2. noun a room in which a lawcourt sits
    courtroom.
    • television cameras were admitted in the courtroom
  3. noun the sovereign and his advisers who are the governing power of a state
    royal court.
  4. noun a specially marked horizontal area within which a game is played
    • players had to reserve a court in advance
  5. noun Australian woman tennis player who won many major championships (born in 1947)
    Margaret Court.
  6. noun the family and retinue of a sovereign or prince
    royal court.
  7. noun a hotel for motorists; provides direct access from rooms to parking area
    motor inn; tourist court; motor lodge; motor hotel.
  8. noun a tribunal that is presided over by a magistrate or by one or more judges who administer justice according to the laws
    lawcourt; court of law; court of justice.
  9. noun the residence of a sovereign or nobleman
    • the king will visit the duke's court
  10. noun an area wholly or partly surrounded by walls or buildings
    courtyard.
    • the house was built around an inner court
  11. noun respectful deference
    homage.
    • pay court to the emperor
  12. verb make amorous advances towards
    romance; woo; solicit.
    • John is courting Mary
  13. verb seek someone's favor
    woo.
    • China is wooing Russia
  14. verb engage in social activities leading to marriage
    • We were courting for over ten years

WordNet

Court noun
Etymology
OF. court, curt, cort, F. cor, LL. cortis, fr. L. cohors, cors, chors, gen. cohortis, cortis, chortis, an inclosure, court, thing inclosed, crowd, throng; co- + a root akin to Gr. inclosure, feeding place, and to E. garden, yard, orchard. See Yard, and cf. Cohort, Curtain.
Definitions
  1. An inclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different building; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley.
    The courts the house of our God. Ps. cxxxv. 2.
    And round the cool green courts there ran a row Cf cloisters. Tennyson.
    Goldsmith took a garret in a miserable court. Macualay.
  2. The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or ether dignitary; a palace.
    Attends the emperor in his royal court. Shak.
    This our court, infected with their manners, Shows like a riotous inn. Shak.
  3. The collective body of persons composing the retinue of a sovereign or person high in aithority; all the surroundings of a sovereign in his regal state.
    My lord, there is a nobleman of the court at door would speak with you. Shak.
    Love rules the court, the camp, the grove. Sir. W. Scott.
  4. Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign; as, to hold a court.
    The princesses held their court within the fortres. Macualay.
  5. Attention directed to a person in power; conduct or address designed to gain favor; courtliness of manners; civility; compliment; flattery.
    No solace could her paramour intreat Her once to show, ne court, nor dalliance. Spenser.
    I went to make my court to the Dike and Duches of Newcastle. Evelyn.
  6. (Law) (a) The hall, chamber, or place, where justice is administered. (b) 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 causes. (c) A tribunal established for the administration of justice. (d) The judge or judges; as distinguished from the counsel or jury, or both.
    Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the judgment. Shak.
  7. The session of a judicial assembly.
  8. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical.
  9. A place arranged for playing the game of tennis; also, one of the divisions of a tennis court.
Court transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Courted; present participle & verbal noun Courting
Definitions
  1. To endeavor to gain the favor of by attention or flattery; to try to ingratiate one's self with.
    By one person, hovever, Portland was still assiduously courted. Macualay.
  2. To endeavor to gain the affections of; to seek in marriage; to woo.
    If either of you both love Katharina . . . leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. Shak.
  3. To attempt to gain; to solicit; to seek.
    They might almost seem to have courted the crown of martyrdem. Prescott.
    Guilt and misery . . . court privacy and silitude. De Quincey.
  4. To invite by attractions; to allure; to attract.
    A well-worn pathway courted us To one green wicket in a privet hedge. Tennyson.
Court intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To play the lover; to woo; as, to go courting.

Webster 1913