King James Bible Dictionary

COURSE, noun

1. In its general sense, a passing; a moving, or motion forward, in a direct or curving line; applicable to any body or substance, solid or fluid.

Applied to animals, a running, or walking; a race; a career; a passing, or passage, with any degree of swiftness indefinitely.

Applied to fluids, a flowing, as in a stream in any direction; as a straight course or winding course It is applied to water or other liquids, to air or wind, and to light, in the sense of motion or passing.

Applied to solid bodies, it signifies motion or passing; as the course of a rolling stone; the course of a carriage; the course of the earth in its orbit.

Applied to navigation, it signifies a passing or motion on water, or in balloons in air; a voyage.

2. The direction of motion; line of advancing; point of compass, in which motion is directed; as, what course shall the pilot steer? In technical language, the angel contained between the nearest meridian and that point of compass on which a ship sails in any direction.

3. Ground on which a race is run.

4. A passing or process; the progress of any thing; as the course of an argument, or of a debate; a course of thought or reflexion.

5. Order of proceeding or of passing from an ancestor to an heir; as the course of descent in inheritance.

6. Order; turn; class; succession of one to another in office, or duty.

The chief fathers of every course 1 Chronicles 27:1.

Solomon appointed the courses of the priests. 2 Chronicles 8:14.

7. Stated and orderly method of proceeding; usual manner. He obtained redress in due course of law. Leave nature to her course

8. Series of successive and methodical procedure; a train of acts, or applications; as a course of medicine administered.

9. A methodical series, applied to the arts or sciences; a systemized order of principles in arts or sciences, for illustration of instruction. We say, the author has completed a course of principles or of lectures in philosophy. Also, the order pursued by a student; as, he has completed a course of studies in law or physics.

10. Manner of proceeding; way of life or conduct; deportment; series of actions.

That I might finish my course with joy. Acts 20:24.

Their course is evil. Jeremiah 23:10.

11. Line of conduct; manner of proceeding; as, we know not what course to pursue.

12. Natural bent; propensity; uncontrolled will. Let not a perverse child take his own course

13. Tilt; act of running in the lists.

14. Orderly structure; system.

The tongue setteth on fire the course of nature. James 3:6.

15. Any regular series. In architecture, a continued range of stones, level or of the same highth, throughout the whole length of the building, and not interrupted by any aperture. A laying of bricks, etc.

16. The dishes set on table at one time; service of meat.

17. Regularity; order; regular succession; as, let the classes follow in course

18. Empty form; as, compliments are often words of course

Of course by consequence; in regular or natural order; in the common manner of proceeding; without specila direction or provision. This effect will follow of course If the defendant resides no in the state, the cause is continued of course

COURSED, participle passive Hunted; chased; pursued; caused to run.

COURSER, noun

1. A swift horse; a runner; a war-horse; a word used chiefly in poetry.

2. One who hunts; one who pursues the sport of coursing hares.

3. A disputant. [Not in use.]

When David was not permitted to build the temple, he proceeded, among the last acts of his life, with the assistance of Zadok and Ahimelech, to organize the priestly and musical services to be conducted in the house of God.

1. He divided the priests into twenty-four courses (1 Chronicles 24:1-19), sixteen being of the house of Eleazar and eight of that of Ithamar. Each course was under a head or chief, and ministered for a week, the order being determined by lot.

2. The rest of the 38,000 Levites (23:4) were divided also into twenty-four courses, each to render some allotted service in public worship: 4,000 in twenty-four courses were set apart as singers and musicians under separate leaders (25); 4,000 as porters or keepers of the doors and gates of the sanctuary (26:1-19); and 6,000 as officers and judges to see to the administration of the law in all civil and ecclesiastical matters (20-32).

This arrangement was re-established by Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 31:2); and afterwards the four sacerdotal courses which are said to have returned from the Captivity were re-divided into the original number of twenty-four by Ezra (6:18).

COURSES, noun plural

1. In a ship, the principal sails, as the main sail, fore sail, and mizen; sometimes the name is given to the stay sails on the lower masts; also to the main stay sails of all brigs and schooners.

2. Catamenia; menstrual flux.

COURSE, verb transitive

1. To hunt; to pursue; to chase.

We coursed him at the heels.

2. To cause to run; to force to move with speed.

3. To run through or over.

The blood courses the winding arteries.

The bounding steed courses the dusty plain.

COURSE, verb intransitive To run; to move with speed; to run or move about; as, the blood courses

The grayhounds coursed through the fields.

COURSEY, noun Part of the hatches in a galley.