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Definition of courtesy
courtesies
1a : behavior marked by polished manners or respect for others : courteous behaviorb : a courteous and respectful act or expression
2a : general allowance despite facts : indulgence hills called mountains by courtesy onlyb : consideration, cooperation, and generosity in providing something (such as a gift or privilege); also : agency, means —used chiefly in the phrases through the courtesy of or by courtesy of or sometimes simply courtesy of
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Examples of courtesy in a Sentence
Civilized life cannot be sustained without hypocrisy. A certain moral code, a degree of courtesy and decorum, are necessary to keep our instincts under a modicum of control. —Ian Buruma, New York Review of Books, 2 Nov. 2006
Cara, who, courtesy of the cat, had a run in her leggings, picked up the phone in a panic … —Helen Schulman, Wigwag, November 1990
“Coffee, sir?” asked a sailor. I nodded, still chilled. The courtesy, the ordinariness of these men was in the context somehow curious. —Fred Reed, Harper's, September 1988
I tried to persuade him that all that Hamish Hamilton had attempted to do was to extend the kind of courtesies which cultural institutions thought to be his due. —Isaiah Berlin, New York Times Book Review, 12 Apr. 1987
They treated us with courtesy and kindness.
She did it as a courtesy, not because she had to.
Everyone knows each other here, so we won't bother with the usual courtesies.
They shook hands and exchanged courtesies before beginning their discussion.
Recent Examples of courtesy from the Web
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Aberdeen answered in the third, courtesy of Kirvin Moesquit.
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To alleviate parking congestion caused by the KY/IN Bridges project, a free trolley service, courtesy of Republic Bank, will be offered between Witherspoon and the Big Four Lawn for people who park West of Interstate 65.
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Now, anyone with Internet access can explore a virtual facsimile of the moonscape, courtesy of Google.
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That means face painting, clowns, a petting zoo, crafts, games, storytime and more, courtesy of the city's special events department.
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Recipe and image courtesy of The National Salmon Council and The Recipe Critic.
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Today's recipe is from 1935 courtesy of Hollywood legend Myrna Loy, who died in 1993 at age 88.
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Sessions pleaded for some old-fashioned senatorial courtesy in his opening statement.
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Courtesy of the collection of Victor Deupi and Raúl Álvarez El Nuevo Herald File Gutierrez was born May 20, 1931, to a dentist father and a mother who was headmistress and owner of the Institute Edison, a large, non-denominational school in Cuba.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'courtesy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of courtesy
Middle English corteisie, from Anglo-French curteisie, from curteis —see courteous
Definition of courtesy
: granted, provided, or performed as a courtesy or by way of courtesy (see 1courtesy) made a courtesy call on the ambassador
Examples of courtesy in a Sentence
As the heir to an earldom, Stephen was obliged to pay a courtesy call on the British ambassador … —Ken Follett, The Man from St. Petersburg, 1982
Important visitors to the conference were provided with courtesy cars.
Recent Examples of courtesy from the Web
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Food was provided by restaurants and a specialty cocktail -- minted vodka lemonade -- was courtesy Holy Name parents Sal and Joan LaMartina of Big Easy Blends.
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Courtesy runner Sierra Hein slid headfirst to break up the scoreless pitchers’ duel.
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Assault, Pearl Road: A woman assaulted another in Dollar Tree May 19 over comments about line courtesy.
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Courtesy UAB athletics communications The UAB baseball team had two players recognized by Conference USA on Tuesday afternoon.
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The chapter will provide a courtesy rest stop with water and snacks, accompanied by a mechanic station manned by Danielson Adventure Sports.
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At the first island, closest to the curb, pick-ups can be made by airport parking shuttles and courtesy vehicles.
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The error allowed Elliott to score and Alec Michaels, a courtesy runner for Koehn, to reach third.
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Courtesy photo A message displayed on Twin Falls High School’s rock over the weekend.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'courtesy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of courtesy
see 1courtesy
COURTESY Defined for English Language Learners
courtesy
playDefinition of courtesy for English Language Learners
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: polite behavior that shows respect for other people
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: something that you do because it is polite, kind, etc.
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: something that you say to be polite especially when you meet someone
courtesy
playDefinition of courtesy for English Language Learners
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: done in order to be polite
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: provided for free
COURTESY Defined for Kids
courtesy
playDefinition of courtesy for Students
courtesies
1 : the quality or state of being respectful and considerate of others
2 : a polite or generous act or expression Hot meals were served through the courtesy of volunteers.
3 : something that is a favor and not a right Transportation is provided as a courtesy of the hotel.
Learn More about courtesy
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for courtesy Spanish Central: Translation of courtesy Nglish: Translation of courtesy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of courtesy for Arabic speakers
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