court

noun

• 1 (also court of law) a body of people presided over by a judge, judges, or magistrate, and acting as a tribunal in civil and criminal cases:she will take the matter to court [as modifier]:a court case
• the place where a court meets: everyone in the court knew he was going down, innocent or guilty

• 2a quadrangular area, either open or covered, marked out for ball games such as tennis or squash:a squash court
• a quadrangular area surrounded by a building or group of buildings: the map showed the crescents and courts of recent urban sprawl
• (Court) used in the names of large houses or blocks of flats:Hampton Court

• 3the courtiers, retinue, and household of a sovereign:the emperor is shown with his court
• a sovereign and his or her councillors, constituting a ruling power:relations between the king and the imperial court
• a sovereign’s residence: he lived for four years at the court of King Philip

• 4the qualified members of a company or a corporation.
• a meeting of the members of a company or a corporation.

verb

• 1 [with object] dated be involved with (someone) romantically, with the intention of marrying:he was courting a girl from the neighbouring farm [no object]:we went to the cinema when we were courting
• (of a male bird or other animal) try to attract (a mate).

• 2pay special attention to (someone) in an attempt to win their support or favour:Western politicians courted the leaders of the newly independent states
• try hard to win (favourable attention):he never had to court the approval of the political elite
• risk incurring (misfortune) because of one’s behaviour:he has often courted controversy