course (courses plural & 3rd person present) (coursing present participle) (coursed past tense & past participle )
1 Course is often used in the expression `of course', or instead of `of course' in informal spoken English. See of course.
2 n-uncount The course of a vehicle, especially a ship or aircraft, is the route along which it is travelling.
also a N
Aircraft can avoid each other by going up and down, as well as by altering course to left or right..., The tug was seaward of the Hakai Passage on a course that diverged from the Calvert Island coastline.
3 n-count A courseof action is an action or a series of actions that you can do in a particular situation.
usu sing
My best course of action was to help Gill by being loyal, loving and endlessly sympathetic..., Vietnam is trying to decide on its course for the future.
4 n-sing You can refer to the way that events develop as, for example, the course of history or the course of events.
the N of n
...a series of decisive naval battles which altered the course of history...
5 n-count A course is a series of lessons or lectures on a particular subject.
oft N in/on n
...a course in business administration..., I'm shortly to begin a course on the modern novel.
→
access course
→
correspondence course
→
refresher course
→
sandwich course
6 n-count A course of medical treatment is a series of treatments that a doctor gives someone.
N of n
Treatment is supplemented with a course of antibiotics to kill the bacterium...
7 n-count A course is one part of a meal.
usu supp N
The lunch was excellent, especially the first course., ...a three-course dinner.
8 n-count In sport, a course is an area of land where races are held or golf is played, or the land over which a race takes place.
usu with supp
Only 12 seconds separated the first three riders on the Bickerstaffe course...
9 n-count The course of a river is the channel along which it flows.
Romantic chateaux and castles overlook the river's twisting course.
10 If something happens in the course of a particular period of time, it happens during that period of time.
in the course of prep-phrase
(=during)
In the course of the 1930s steel production in Britain approximately doubled..., We struck up a conversation, in the course of which it emerged that he was a sailing man.
11 If you do something as a matter of course, you do it as part of your normal work or way of life.
as a matter of course phrase PHR after v
If police are carrying arms as a matter of course then doesn't it encourage criminals to carry them?
12 If a ship or aircraft is on course, it is travelling along the correct route. If it is off course, it is no longer travelling along the correct route.
on course/off course phrase PHR after v, v-link PHR
The ill fated ship was sent off course into shallow waters and rammed by another vessel.
13 If you are on course for something, you are likely to achieve it.
on course for prep-phrase usu v-link PREP
The company is on course for profits of £20m in the next financial year.
14 If something runs its course or takes its course, it develops naturally and comes to a natural end.
run its course/take its course phrase V inflects
They estimated that between 17,000 and 20,000 cows would die before the epidemic had run its course...
15 If you stay the course, you finish something that you have started, even though it has become very difficult.
stay the course phrase V inflects
The oldest president in American history had stayed the course for two terms.
16 If something changes or becomes true in the course of time, it changes or becomes true over a long period of time.
in the course of time phrase PHR with cl
In the course of time, many of their myths become entangled.
access course (access courses plural )An access course is an educational course which prepares adults with few or no qualifications for study at a university or other place of higher education.
(BRIT) n-count
assault course (assault courses plural )An assault course is an area of land covered with obstacles such as walls which people, especially soldiers, use to improve their skills and strength.
(BRIT) n-count
in AM, use obstacle course
collision course
1 n-sing If two or more people or things are on acollision course, there is likely to be a sudden and violent disagreement between them.
usu on a N, oft N with n
The two communities are now on a collision course..., Britain's universities are set on a collision course with the government.
2 n-sing If two or more people or things are on acollision course, they are likely to meet and crash into each other violently.
usu on a N, oft N with n
There is an asteroid on a collision course with the Earth.
correspondence course (correspondence courses plural )A correspondence course is a course in which you study at home, receiving your work by post and sending it back by post. n-count
I took a correspondence course in computing.
course book (course books plural ), coursebook A course book is a textbook that students and teachers use as the basis of a course. n-count
course work , coursework
Course work is work that students do during a course, rather than in exams, especially work that counts towards a student's final grade. n-uncount
Some 20 per cent of marks are awarded for coursework.
crash course (crash courses plural )A crash coursein a particular subject is a short course in which you are taught basic facts or skills, for example before you start a new job. n-count usu with supp, oft N in n
I did a 15-week crash course in typing.
damp course (damp courses plural )A damp course is a layer of waterproof material which is put into the bottom of the outside wall of a building to prevent moisture from rising.
(BRIT) n-count
damp-proof course (damp-proof courses plural )A damp-proof course is the same as a damp course. n-count
foundation course (foundation courses plural )A foundation course is a course that you do at some colleges and universities in order to prepare yourself for a longer or more advanced course.
(BRIT) n-count
in AM, use basic course
golf course (golf courses plural ), golf-course A golf course is a large area of grass which is specially designed for people to play golf on. n-count
obstacle course (obstacle courses plural )In a race, an obstacle course is a series of obstacles that people have to go over or round in order to complete the race. n-count
of course
1 adv You say of course to suggest that something is normal, obvious, or well-known, and should therefore not surprise the person you are talking to.
SPOKEN ADV with cl
(=naturally)
Of course there were lots of other interesting things at the exhibition..., `I have read about you in the newspapers of course,' Charlie said..., The only honest answer is, of course, yes.
2 convention You use of course as a polite way of giving permission.
SPOKEN, formulae `Can I just say something about the cup game on Saturday?'<emdash10001`Yes of course you can.'..., `Could I see these documents?'—`Of course.'
3 adv You use of course in order to emphasize a statement that you are making, especially when you are agreeing or disagreeing with someone.
SPOKEN ADV with cl, ADV as reply (emphasis)
`I expect you're right.'<emdash10001`Of course I'm right.'..., `You will strictly observe your diet: no wine or spirits, very little meat.'—`Of course.'
4 convention Of course not is an emphatic way of saying no.
SPOKEN, emphasis `You're not really seriously considering this thing, are you?'—`No, of course not.'
refresher course (refresher courses plural )A refresher course is a training course in which people improve their knowledge or skills and learn about new developments that are related to the job that they do. n-count
sandwich course (sandwich courses plural )A sandwich course is an educational course in which you have periods of study between periods of being at work.
(BRIT) n-count
