course

 
Pronunciation: /kɔːs/

noun

  • 1the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river: the road adopts a tortuous course along the coast the new fleet changed course to join the other ships
  • the way in which something progresses or develops: the course of history
  • (also course of action) [count noun] a procedure adopted to deal with a situation: my decision had seemed to be the wisest course open to me at the time
  • 2a dish, or a set of dishes served together, forming one of the successive parts of a meal: guests are offered a choice of main course [in combination]: a four-course meal
  • 3an area of land set aside and prepared for racing, golf, or another sport.
  • 4a series of lectures or lessons in a particular subject, leading to an examination or qualification: a business studies course
  • Medicine a series of repeated treatments or doses of medication: the doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics
  • Bell-ringing a series of changes which brings the bells back to their original order, or the changes of a particular bell.
  • 5a continuous horizontal layer of brick, stone, or other material in a wall.
  • 6a pursuit of game (especially hares) with greyhounds by sight rather than scent.
  • 7a sail on the lowest yards of a square-rigged ship.
  • 8a set of adjacent strings on a guitar, lute, etc., tuned to the same note.

verb

  • 1 [no object, with adverbial of direction] (of liquid) move without obstruction; flow: tears were coursing down her cheeks figurative exultation coursed through him
  • 2 [with object] pursue (game, especially hares) with greyhounds using sight rather than scent: many of the hares coursed escaped unharmed [no object]: she would course for hares with her greyhounds

Phrases

course of action

see course (sense 1 of the noun).

the course of nature

events or processes which are normal and to be expected: each man would, in the course of nature, have his private opinions

in (the) course of ——

  • 1undergoing the specified process: a new text book was in course of preparation
  • 2during the specified period or activity: he was a friend to many people in the course of his life

in (or over) the course of time

as time goes by: the property will deteriorate in the course of time

of course

used to introduce an idea or action as being obvious or to be expected: the point is of course that the puzzle itself is misleading
used to give or emphasize agreement or permission: ‘Can I see you for a minute?’ ‘Of course.’
introducing a qualification or admission: of course we’ve been in touch by phone, but I wanted to see things for myself

off course

not following the intended route: the car went careering off course

on course

following the intended route: he battled to keep the ship on course figurative we need to spend money to get the economy back on course
(on course for/to do something) likely to achieve something: he was on course for victory

run (or take) its course

complete its natural development without interference: his illness had to run its course to the crisis

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French cours, from Latin cursus, from curs- 'run', from the verb currere

Do not confuse coarse with course. Coarse means 'rough' ( my hair is coarse and wavy), whereas course means 'a direction' ( the plane changed course).