discourse

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: sermonpreachingdiscussiontreatmenttalk aboutdiscussconversehold forthdissertate

WordNet 3.0

Noun (3)

  1. extended verbal expression in speech or writing
  2. an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)Synonyms: sermonpreaching
  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”Synonyms: discussiontreatment

Verb (3)

  1. to consider or examine in speech or writing“The author talks about the different aspects of this question”“The class discussed Dante's `Inferno'”Synonyms: talk aboutdiscuss
  2. carry on a conversationSynonyms: converse
  3. talk at length and formally about a topic“The speaker dissertated about the social politics in 18th century England”Synonyms: hold forthdissertate
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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.] [1913 Webster]

Difficult, strange, and harsh to the discourses of natural reason.— South.[1913 Webster]
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.[1913 Webster]

2.Conversation; talk. [1913 Webster]

In their discourses after supper.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Filling the head with variety of thoughts, and the mouth with copious discourse.— Locke.[1913 Webster]

3.The art and manner of speaking and conversing. [1913 Webster]

Of excellent breeding, admirable discourse.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

5.Dealing; transaction. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Good Captain Bessus, tell us the discourse Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how We got the victory.— Beau. & Fl.[1913 Webster]
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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

3.To relate something; to tell. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4.To treat of something in writing and formally. [1913 Webster]

Discourse \Dis*course"\, v. t.

1.To treat of; to expose or set forth in language. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

The life of William Tyndale . . . is sufficiently and at large discoursed in the book.— Foxe.[1913 Webster]

2.To utter or give forth; to speak. [1913 Webster]

It will discourse most eloquent music.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

3.To talk to; to confer with. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

I have spoken to my brother, who is the patron, to discourse the minister about it.— Evelyn.[1913 Webster]
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