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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Discourse

Dis-cōurse', n.

noun

n. [Fr. discours, It. discorso, from Lat. discursus, a running to and fro, discourse, from discurrere, discursum, to run to and fro, to discourse, from dis and currere, to run.] 1. The power of the mind to reason or infer by running, as it were, from one fact or reason to another, and gathering them into a conclusion; the power to run over in order to compare and judge; an exercise or act of this power. [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 fast in us unused. Shak.

Sense 2. Oral treatment or exposition of a subject; communication of thoughts by words; expression of one's ideas; talk; conversation. Filling the head with variety of thoughts, and the mouth with copious discourse. Locke.

  1. A formal dissertation or treatise; a homily; a sermon; as, an eloquent discourse.
  2. Dealing; transaction.

Good Captain Bessus, tell us the discourse Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how We got the victory. Bea. & Fl.

Dis-cōurse', v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [imp. & p. p. DISCOURSED (dis-kōrst'); p. pr. & vb. n. DISCOURSING.]

  1. To exercise reason; to employ the mind in judging, and inferring. "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 expatiate; to hold forth.
  3. To treat of in writing and in a formal manner.

Dis-cōurse’, v. t.

verbtransitive

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. 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.