discourse

²dis·course

verb \dis-ˈkȯrs, ˈdis-ˌ\

dis·courseddis·cours·ing

Definition of DISCOURSE

intransitive verb

1

: to express oneself especially in oral discourse (see ¹discourse)

2

: talk, converse

transitive verb

archaic : to give forth : utter

— dis·cours·er noun

Examples of DISCOURSE

1. She could discourse for hours on almost any subject.
2. <the guest lecturer discoursed at some length on the long-term results of the war>
3. The most energetic ingredients in a Ken Burns documentary are the intervals of commentary, the talking heads of historians, sociologists, and critics coming at us in living color and discoursing volubly. —Richard Alleva, Commonweal, 22 Feb. 2002
4. Clarke had discoursed knowledgeably on the implications of temperature for apples; it was too cool here for … Winesaps, or Granny Smiths, none of which mature promptly enough to beat autumn's first freeze. —David Guterson, Harper's, October 1999
5. … Bill Clinton was up in the sky-box suites, giving interviews. So The Baltimore Sun's guy on the job was Carl Cannon and he took notes while Clinton discoursed on the importance of Ripken's streak, the value of hard work, the lessons communicated to our youth in a nation troubled by blah blah blah. —Richard Ben Cramer, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 1999

Origin of DISCOURSE

(see ¹discourse)

First Known Use: 1559

Related to DISCOURSE

Synonyms: declaim, descant, talk, expatiate, harangue, lecture, orate, speak

Related Words: recite, soliloquize; dissert, expound, pontificate, sermonize; mouth, spout; filibuster

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