n. [ L. discursus a running to and fro, discourse, fr. discurrere, discursum, to run to and fro, to discourse; dis- + currere to run: cf. F. discours. See Course. ] 1. The power of the mind to reason or infer by running, as it were, from one fact or reason to another, and deriving a conclusion; an exercise or act of this power; reasoning; range of reasoning faculty. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Difficult, strange, and harsh to the discourses of natural reason. South. [ 1913 Webster ] Sure he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and godlike reason
To fust in us unused. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Conversation; talk. [ 1913 Webster ] In their discourses after supper. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Filling the head with variety of thoughts, and the mouth with copious discourse. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. The art and manner of speaking and conversing. [ 1913 Webster ] Of excellent breeding, admirable discourse. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. Consecutive speech, either written or unwritten, on a given line of thought; speech; treatise; dissertation; sermon, etc.; as, the preacher gave us a long discourse on duty. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. Dealing; transaction. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] Good Captain Bessus, tell us the discourse
Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how
We got the victory. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ] | 
