court

1 noun

1 LAW (C, U) a building or room where all the information concerning a crime is given so that it can be judged: There was a large crowd of reporters gathered outside the court. | in court: He was summoned to appear in court as a witness. | go to court (=start the legal process to have a case dealt with in a court): She was prepared to go to court to get compensation if necessary. | take sb to court (=make someone be judged in a court): Davis was taken to court for assaulting a policeman. | settle out of court (=agree without being judged in a court): We decided to settle the matter out of court. | court case/appearance/judge etc: The court case lasted six weeks.

2 the court (U) the people in a court, especially the judge and the jury (1): The defendant told the court that he was in Newcastle at the time of the alleged rape.

3 SPORT an area that has been specially made for playing games such as tennis on: There are three squash courts available this evening. | on/off court (=playing or not playing): Becker and Edberg are due on court in an hour.

4 KING/QUEEN ETC (C)

a) the official place where a king or queen lives and works: This was one of the most splendid of the royal courts of Europe. | court painter/jester/adviser etc (=someone who is employed by the court to paint etc)

b) the royal people and the people who work for them or advise them: Several members of the court were under suspicion.

5 hold court to speak in an interesting and amusing way so that people gather to listen to you: Gary was holding court in the pub last night.

6 pay court to old-fashioned to give a lot of your attention to someone in order to impress them: Stefan was dancing with everyone and paying court to all the girls.

7 CASTLE/LARGE HOUSE (C) an open space that is completely or partly surrounded by buildings, especially one that is part of a castle or large house; courtyard

8 Court especially BrE used as part of the name of a short street or of an apartment building

-see also: the ball is in your court ball 1 (10), be laughed out of court laugh 1 (7) 2 verb

1 (T) old-fashioned if a man courts a woman, he visits her, takes her to restaurants etc because he hopes to marry her: Richard courted Lindsay for years before she agreed to marry him.

2 (I, T) old-fashioned if a man and a woman are courting, they are having a romantic relationship and may get married: We were courting for two years before we even got engaged.

3 court danger/death/punishment etc to behave in a way that makes danger etc more likely: You realize you're simply courting danger by driving that old car?

4 (T) to try to get something you want, especially support from other people, by doing something to please them: The directors are courting the support of the shareholders.