court English · revision 2325

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200|origins=la cohors}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /kɔːt/, US /kɔːrt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|curt]], [[bor|xno|curt]], [[bor|fro|cort|t=king's court, princely residence]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|cōrtem]], the accusative of [[m|la|cōrs]], a contracted form of [[m|la|cohors|t=enclosure, yard; company, retinue]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) ''Cohors'' is formed from [[m|la|co-|t=together]] and a stem [[m|la|hort-]] related to [[m|la|hortus|t=garden]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*gʰer-|t=to grasp, enclose]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It is a [[doublet]] of [[cohort]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) and is related to [[yard]] and [[garden]].^(Klein 1966)^(Chambers 2008) The verb was formed on the noun after [[roa-oit|corteare]] and [[m|fro|courtoyer]].^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The residence or household of a prince: probably before 1200,^(Barnhart 1988) and “a formal assembly held by a sovereign” in the late 12th century.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the physical yard came “the palace of a sovereign” (about 1200), “an enclosed space by a building” (early 14th century),^(Etymonline) the playing area of a ball game, first for tennis (1519),^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) and a short street closed on three sides (1680s).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) From the sovereign's assembly came the legal sense “a tribunal” and “the room where justice is done”, both about 1300, since early justice was overseen by the sovereign in person.^(Etymonline) The homage paid at court gave ''pay court to'', first in Spenser's ''Faerie Queene'' (1589).^(Barnhart 1988) The verb first meant “to live at court” (1515)^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and “to act the courtier” (1553),^(OED 1989) then “to seek to win” (1571), “to woo” (1580) and “to pay court to” (1590).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Merriam-Webster dates the verb 1567.^(MW Collegiate) ''Courtship'' is from 1588^(Barnhart 1988) and ''courtroom'' from 1677.^(Barnhart 1988) A ''court card'' was originally a ''coat card'', one showing a figure in a coat.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – a princely household.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – a sovereign's palace.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – a court of justice.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1515 – verb, to live at court.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1519 – a tennis court.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1580 – to woo.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1588 – ''courtship''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1589 – ''pay court to'' (Spenser).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1677 – ''courtroom''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An open space surrounded by walls or buildings; a [[courtyard]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A short street closed at one end.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # The residence and household of a [[sovereign]], or the sovereign with his or her [[council]].^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+ # A [[tribunal]] that hears legal cases, or the room where it sits.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A marked-out area for games such as [[tennis]] or [[basketball]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # Attention paid to win favour: ''pay court to''.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To try to win the love of; to [[woo]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To try to gain the favour of by attention or [[flattery]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To seek, or to behave so as to invite: ''court disaster''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[backcourt]]

+ * [[courtside]]

+ * [[crosscourt]]

+ * [[downcourt]]

+ * [[forecourt]]

+ * [[frontcourt]]

+ * [[outcourt]]

+ * [[courthouse]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[courtship]]

+ * [[cohort]]

+ * [[yard]]

+ * [[garden]]

+ * [[courteous]]

+ * [[courtesy]]

+ * [[curtain]]

+ * [[horticulture]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A second, obsolete ''court'', of unknown origin, was a kind of cart for stones and bricks, used from 1388 to 1666.^(SOED 2002)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}