recourse

re·course

noun \ˈrē-ˌkȯrs, ri-ˈ\

Definition of RECOURSE

1

a : a turning to someone or something for help or protection <settled the matter without recourse to law> b : a source of help or strength : resort <had no recourse left>

2

: the right to demand payment from the maker or endorser of a negotiable instrument (as a check)

Examples of RECOURSE

1. The dispute was settled without recourse to law.
2. <a toddler quickly learns that a tantrum is a surefire recourse when a polite request for something is met with parental indifference>

Origin of RECOURSE

Middle English recours, from Anglo-French recurs, from Late Latin recursus, from Latin, act of running back, from recurrere to run back — more at recur

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to RECOURSE

Synonyms: expedient, resource, resort

Related Words: hope, opportunity, possibility, relief; makeshift, replacement, stopgap, substitute

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Rhymes with RECOURSE

clotheshorse, concourse, crash course, dark horse, dawn horse, dead horse, deforce, discourse, divorce, dray horse, endorse, enforce, extrorse, golf course, gut course, high horse, introrse, iron horse, midcourse, of course, Old Norse, one-horse, packhorse, perforce, post-horse, racecourse, racehorse, redhorse, remorse, resource, retrorse, sawhorse, sea horse, stringcourse, trial horse, unhorse, warhorse, wheelhorse, Whitehorse, workhorse