course

1 a way of acting or proceeding the president's usual course has been to obtain advice from several people and then make up his own mind Synonyms line, methodology, policy, procedure, program Related Words blueprint, design, plan, scheme, strategy; intent, intention, purpose; approach, direction, method, path, pathway, tack

2 a series of lectures on a subject a course on American history from the colonial period to the present Synonyms class Related Words elective, refresher; clinic, institute, seminar, survey course; minicourse; core, curriculum Phrases course of study

3 a usually fixed or ordered series of actions or events leading to a result set out on the course that would lead to a college degree Synonyms process, operation, procedure, proceedingRelated Words drill, routine; fashion, form, manner, method, mode, style, system, technique, way; approach, arrangement, blueprint, design, formula, game plan, ground plan, layout, plan, plot, program, project, recipe, scheme, strategy; accomplishment, achievement, attainment, enterprise, performance, undertaking, work; activity, functioning, movement

4 the direction along which something or someone moves the river follows a southeasterly course to the ocean Synonyms path, line, pathway, route, routeway [chiefly British], steps, track, wayRelated Words circle, circuit, loop, orbit; arc, flight path, trajectory; ascent, descent

5 an open man-made passageway for water the Erie Canal was replaced by a much larger course, the New York State Barge Canal Synonyms aqueduct, canal, conduit, channel, flume, racecourse, raceway, watercourse, waterwayRelated Words millrace, millstream; floodway, sluice, sluiceway, spillway; swash, tideway, torrent; gutter, trough; river, rivulet, stream