Definition of: court

(kôrt, kōrt) noun
1. A yard or space surrounded wholly by buildings or walls; a courtyard.
2. A building or group of buildings in a courtyard.
3. An imposing residence.
4. A space enclosed on three sides; a short street; a blind alley.
5. The actual residence of a sovereign, especially as the central seat of government and princely state; a palace.
6. The royal council, family, and retinue of a sovereign.
7. A sovereign and his retinue, considered as a body: the French court.
8. A formal assembly or reception held by a sovereign.
9. A place where justice is judicially administered.
10. A tribunal possessing civil, military, or ecclesiastical jurisdiction and duly constituted to administer justice.
11. A level space laid out for playing tennis, basketball, squash, or similar games; also, a subdivision of the ground so marked.
12. Brit. An official meeting of a corporation.
13. A local branch of certain fraternal orders; a lodge.
14. Flattery or homage paid to another to win favor.
15. Attention bestowed upon a woman to win her affection or love; wooing; courtship.
—Court of St. James's The court of the monarch of Great Britain: so called from St. James's Palace.
—v.t.
1. To make love to; woo.
2. To try to get in the good graces of; seek the favor of.
3. To solicit; attempt to gain: to court applause.
4. To lure; invite; entice into.
—v.i.
5. To make love; act the courtier.
—adjective Of or pertaining to a court: court customs. [<OF cort <L cohors, cohortis yard, troop of soldiers. Doublet of COHORT.]
—admiralty court
See ADMIRALTY (def. 2).
—Appeals, Circuit Court of
The highest U.S. court of appellate jurisdiction below the Supreme Court.
—Appeals, Court of
A high court of justice to which cases from lower courts are taken for rehearing.
—Arbitration, Permanent Court of
A tribunal established at The Hague in 1899 for the arbitration of disputes between nations, submission being voluntary, also called Hague Tribunal.
—Assistants, Court of
A New England colonial court of supreme jurisdiction.
—Assizes, Court of
A court held periodically in each English county. See ASSIZE.
—chancery, court of
See CHANCERY.
—circuit court
1. A Federal court of the United States superior to a district court: abolished, 1911.
2. A State court presided over by a circuit judge.
—Claims, Court of
A court at Washington, D.C., having jurisdiction over questions relating to claims against the government.
—Common Pleas, Court of
1. A common–law court of record, having original jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters.
2. Formerly, an English court with exclusive jurisdiction in various classes of civil cases.
—district court
A U.S. court serving a Federal judicial district; also, a State court serving a State judicial district.
—ecclesiastical court
In the United States, one of the courts established by the various churches for legislation and discipline, holding jurisdiction only within their own respective organizations; in England, a court instituted by the sovereign, having jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the established church.
—equity, court of
See EQUITY (def. 3).
—Exchequer, Court of
See EXCHEQUER.
—hustings, court of
See HUSTING.
—inquiry, court of
A tribunal for investigating matters pertaining to the military or naval service, with no power of trial or adjudication.
—International Justice, Permanent Court of
An international tribunal established under the Covenant of the League of Nations (1921), empowered to interpret treaties and to give advisory opinions. Its functions, in general, were taken over (1945) by the International Court of Justice. Also called World Court.
—Justice, International Court of
The principal judicial organ of the United Nations, functioning under a statute based on the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice as incorporated in the UN charter. All members of the UN are parties ipso facto; others join on recommendation of the Security Council.
—juvenile court
A special court that deals with delinquents, neglected children, etc., under a fixed age.
—King's (or Queen's) Bench, Court of
In England, the supreme court of common–law jurisdiction, consisting of a chief justice and four puisne or associate justices: now one of the divisions of the high courts of justice. Also King's (or Queen's) Bench.
—last resort, court of
A tribunal from which there is no appeal.
—municipal court
A local, city court having limited jurisdiction.
—probate court
A court having jurisdiction of the proof of wills, of guardianships, and of the settlement of estates.
—record, court of
A court keeping a record of its proceedings and having a clerk or prothonotary, a seal, and the power to fine and imprison.
—Star Chamber, Court of,
1. Formerly, in England, a court held, without the assistance of a jury, by members of the Privy Council, with the addition of two judges of the courts of common law: abolished, because of abuses, 1641.
2. Any court engaging in arbitrary or illegal procedure.