intercourse
See also: Intercourse
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Old French entrecours, from Late Latin intercursus.
PronunciationEdit
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɪn.tɚˌkɔɹs/, /ˈɪn.tɚˌkoɹs/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɪn.təˌkɔːs/
Audio (US) (file)
NounEdit
intercourse (countable and uncountable, plural intercourses)
- Communication, conversation.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- this sweet intercourse of looks and smiles
- 1906, Edward Suddard, chapter 4, in The Technique of the Modern Orchestra[[1]], translation of Technique de l'orchestre moderne by Charles-Marie Widor, page 139:
- And indeed, what more reliable authority could Berlioz have found than Cavaillé-Coll, with whom he had frequent intercourse, and who would have been better qualified than any one else to give him correct information?
- 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
- It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
- 1952 May, George Santayana, “I Like to Be a Stranger”, in The Atlantic[2]:
- It might seem that with age places gained upon persons in interest to my mind; and that my pleasure grew in intercourse with things rather than with ideas.
- Dealings between countries.
- Dealings with people, including commerce and trade.
- Sexual intercourse usually involving humans.
SynonymsEdit
- See also Thesaurus:copulation.
TranslationsEdit
communication, conversation
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dealings between countries
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dealings with people, including commerce and trade
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sexual intercourse
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See alsoEdit
VerbEdit
intercourse (third-person singular simple present intercourses, present participle intercoursing, simple past and past participle intercoursed)
- (nonstandard, intransitive) To have sexual intercourse.
SynonymsEdit
- fornicate, have sex, make love; see also Thesaurus:copulate