Noun the course of a river The pilot brought the plane back on course. The ship was blown off course by a storm. She's taking a chemistry course this semester. Students earn the degree after a two-year course of study. There is no cure, but the treatment will slow the course of the disease. Verb the blood coursing through my veins Tears were coursing down his cheeks. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Barbara, of course, is played by Ralph on the show. Michael Schneider, Variety, 16 Sep. 2022 While an official guest list has not yet been released by the palace, world leaders, European royals, and, of course, the British royal family have received invitations or are expected to attend. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Thanks to English's unwavering belief in Nelson, the singer regains his footing and, of course, goes on to become one of the greatest country stars of all time. Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2022 And of course, that tangy, fermented favorite, sauerkraut, is in abundance.Anchorage Daily News, 16 Sep. 2022 The best, of course, was being the belle of the ball on Broadway. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Sep. 2022 Its impacts are not limited to astronomy, of course. Joshua Sokol, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2022 Better still, of course, would be reducing our dependence on fossil fuels overall, switching to clean renewable sources like wind and solar power.Time, 16 Sep. 2022 May 28 is the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, so, of course, that’s the date for your 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Sep. 2022
Verb
Inflation continues to course through parts of the economy that are several steps removed from commodity pressures. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 13 Sep. 2022 Now the Patriots will have to try to course correct heading into Sunday’s matchup at Pittsburgh with quarterback Mac Jones nursing a back injury. Kyle Hightower, Hartford Courant, 12 Sep. 2022 Its stock has fallen roughly 60% so far this year and, in a bid to course correct, the platform is transforming itself from a streaming revolutionary to a new age legacy media company. Frank Pallotta, CNN, 11 Aug. 2022 Straightforward in theory, the challenge lies in getting granular enough so that employees exchange feedback and course corrections regularly. Sumir Karayi, Forbes, 9 Aug. 2022 Reps should dive into real-time data to understand what’s selling and what’s not, then work with retailers to course correct before the end of the season as needed.Outside Online, 20 Sep. 2021 In 2020, the San Francisco Unified School District voted unanimously to implement a pilot ethnic studies course in high schools.Washington Post, 5 May 2022 Smith did his best to go along in describing the Stadium Course, with its island green and deceptive shots, and a centuries-old links course that this week was so brittle and brown the balls rolled faster on the fairways than the greens. Doug Ferguson, Chron, 18 July 2022 Members have to commit to a five-week financial fundamentals course, monthly mentoring circle meetings and other program gatherings.oregonlive, 11 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English cours, borrowed from Anglo-French cours, curs, going back to Latin cursus "action of running, charge, movement along a path, progress," from currere "to run, flow" + -tus, suffix of verbal action — more at current entry 1
Note: As pointed out by Michiel de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Leiden, 2008), the expected outcome of the verbal adjective in *-to- and the verbal noun in *-tū- would be *kostus < *korstus < *kr̥s-to-, kr̥s-tū-, from the verbal base *kr̥s- (> currere). The attested form cursus for both the past participle and verbal noun reflects remodeling on the pattern of stems ending in a dental (as morsus from mordere "to bite," versus from vertere "to turn"). As generally in Latin, the verbal noun, where full grade of the root would be expected, has been supplanted by zero grade of the verbal adjective.
Verb
Middle English coursen "to pursue," derivative of courscourse entry 1