n. [ OF. court, curt, cort, F. cour, LL. cortis, fr. L. cohors, cors, chors, gen. cohortis, cortis, chortis, an inclosure, court, thing inclosed, crowd, throng; co- + a root akin to Gr. chorto`s inclosure, feeding place, and to E. garden, yard, orchard. See Yard, and cf. Cohort, Curtain. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The courts of the house of our God. Ps. cxxxv. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

And round the cool green courts there ran a row
Of cloisters. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Goldsmith took a garret in a miserable court. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or other dignitary; a palace. [ 1913 Webster ]

Attends the emperor in his royal court. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

This our court, infected with their manners,
Shows like a riotous inn. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

My lord, there is a nobleman of the court at door would speak with you. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Love rules the court, the camp, the grove. Sir. W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign; as, to hold a court. [ 1913 Webster ]

The princesses held their court within the fortress. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Attention directed to a person in power; conduct or address designed to gain favor; courtliness of manners; civility; compliment; flattery. [ 1913 Webster ]

No solace could her paramour intreat
Her once to show, ne court, nor dalliance. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

I went to make my court to the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Most heartily I do beseech the court
To give the judgment. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. The session of a judicial assembly. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. A place arranged for playing the game of tennis; also, one of the divisions of a tennis court. [ 1913 Webster ]

Christian court, the English ecclesiastical courts in the aggregate, or any one of them. --
Court breeding, education acquired at court. --
Court card. Same as Coat card. --
Court circular, one or more paragraphs of news respecting the sovereign and the royal family, together with the proceedings or movements of the court generally, supplied to the newspapers by an officer specially charged with such duty. [ Eng. ] Edwards. --
Court of claims (Law), a court for settling claims against a state or government; specif., a court of the United States, created by act of Congress, and holding its sessions at Washington. It is given jurisdiction over claims on contracts against the government, and sometimes may advise the government as to its liabilities. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ] --
Court day, a day on which a court sits to administer justice. --
Court dress, the dress prescribed for appearance at the court of a sovereign. --
Court fool, a buffoon or jester, formerly kept by princes and nobles for their amusement. --
Court guide, a directory of the names and adresses of the nobility and gentry in a town. --
Court hand, the hand or manner of writing used in records and judicial proceedings. Shak. --
Court lands (Eng. Law), lands kept in demesne, -- that is, for the use of the lord and his family. --
Court marshal, one who acts as marshal for a court. --
Court party, a party attached to the court. --
Court rolls, the records of a court. SeeRoll. --
Court in banc, or
Court in bank, The full court sitting at its regular terms for the hearing of arguments upon questions of law, as distinguished from a sitting at nisi prius. --
Court of Arches,
audience, etc. See under Arches, Audience, etc. --
Court of Chancery. See Chancery, n. --
Court of Common pleas. (Law) See Common pleas, under Common. --
Court of Equity. See under Equity, and Chancery. --
Court of Inquiry (Mil.) , a court appointed to inquire into and report on some military matter, as the conduct of an officer. --
Court of St. James, the usual designation of the British Court; -- so called from the old palace of St. James, which is used for the royal receptions, levees, and drawing-rooms. --
The court of the Lord, the temple at Jerusalem; hence, a church, or Christian house of worship. --
General Court, the legislature of a State; -- so called from having had, in the colonial days, judicial power; as, the General Court of Massachusetts. [ U.S. ] --
To pay one's court, to seek to gain favor by attentions. “Alcibiades was assiduous in paying his court to Tissaphernes.” Jowett. --
To put out of court, to refuse further judicial hearing. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Courted; p. pr. & vb. n. Courting. ] 1. To endeavor to gain the favor of by attention or flattery; to try to ingratiate one's self with. [ 1913 Webster ]

By one person, hovever, Portland was still assiduously courted. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To endeavor to gain the affections of; to seek in marriage; to woo. [ 1913 Webster ]

If either of you both love Katharina . . .
Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To attempt to gain; to solicit; to seek. [ 1913 Webster ]

They might almost seem to have courted the crown of martyrdom. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

Guilt and misery . . . court privacy and solitude. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To invite by attractions; to allure; to attract. [ 1913 Webster ]

A well-worn pathway courted us
To one green wicket in a privet hedge. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To play the lover; to woo; as, to go courting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Law) An inferior court of civil jurisdiction, attached to a manor, and held by the steward; a baron's court; -- now fallen into disuse. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Bred, or educated, at court; polished; courtly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The artifices, intrigues, and plottings, at courts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A movable sideboard or buffet, on which plate and other articles of luxury were displayed on special ocasions. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A way with the joint stools, remove the court-cupboard, look to the plate. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ OE. cortais, corteis, cortois, rarely corteous, OF. corties, corteis, F. courtois. See Court. ] Of courtlike manners; pertaining to, or expressive of, courtesy; characterized by courtesy; civil; obliging; well bred; polite; affable; complaisant. [ 1913 Webster ]

A patient and courteous bearing. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

His behavior toward his people is grave and courteous. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a courteous manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being courteous; politeness; courtesy. [ 1913 Webster ]