To be,
go, or
run,
on all fours (Fig.), to be on the same footing; to correspond (with) exactly; to be alike in all the circumstances to be considered. “This example is on all fours with the other.” “No simile can go on all fours.” Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

The good frame of the universe was not the product of chance or fortuitous concourse of particles of matter. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An assembly; a gathering formed by a voluntary or spontaneous moving and meeting in one place. [ 1913 Webster ]

Amidst the concourse were to be seen the noble ladies of Milan, in gay, fantastic cars, shining in silk brocade. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The place or point of meeting or junction of two bodies. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The drop will begin to move toward the concourse of the glasses. Sir I. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An open space where several roads or paths meet; esp. an open space in a park where several roads meet. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Concurrence; cooperation. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The divine providence is wont to afford its concourse to such proceeding. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais. Acts xxi. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The ground or path traversed; track; way. [ 1913 Webster ]

The same horse also run the round course at Newmarket. Pennant. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Motion, considered as to its general or resultant direction or to its goal; line progress or advance. [ 1913 Webster ]

A light by which the Argive squadron steers
Their silent course to Ilium's well known shore. Dennham. [ 1913 Webster ]

Westward the course of empire takes its way. Berkeley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Progress from point to point without change of direction; any part of a progress from one place to another, which is in a straight line, or on one direction; as, a ship in a long voyage makes many courses; a course measured by a surveyor between two stations; also, a progress without interruption or rest; a heat; as, one course of a race. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Motion considered with reference to manner; or derly progress; procedure in a certain line of thought or action; as, the course of an argument. [ 1913 Webster ]

The course of true love never did run smooth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Customary or established sequence of events; recurrence of events according to natural laws. [ 1913 Webster ]

By course of nature and of law. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]

Day and night,
Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost,
Shall hold their course. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Method of procedure; manner or way of conducting; conduct; behavior. [ 1913 Webster ]

My lord of York commends the plot and the general course of the action. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

By perseverance in the course prescribed. Wodsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

You hold your course without remorse. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. A series of motions or acts arranged in order; a succession of acts or practices connectedly followed; as, a course of medicine; a course of lectures on chemistry. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn. [ 1913 Webster ]

He appointed . . . the courses of the priests 2 Chron. viii. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. That part of a meal served at one time, with its accompaniments. [ 1913 Webster ]

He [ Goldsmith ] wore fine clothes, gave dinners of several courses, paid court to venal beauties. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. (Arch.) A continuous level range of brick or stones of the same height throughout the face or faces of a building. Gwilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. (Naut.) The lowest sail on any mast of a square-rigged vessel; as, the fore course, main course, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. pl. (Physiol.) The menses. [ 1913 Webster ]

In course, in regular succession. --
Of course, by consequence; as a matter of course; in regular or natural order. --
In the course of, at same time or times during. “In the course of human events.” T. Jefferson.

Syn. -- Way; road; route; passage; race; series; succession; manner; method; mode; career; progress. [ 1913 Webster ]

We coursed him at the heels. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to chase after or pursue game; as, to course greyhounds after deer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To run through or over. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bounding steed courses the dusty plain. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move with speed; to race; as, the blood courses through the veins. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Arranged in courses; as, coursed masonry. [ 1913 Webster ]

leash is a leathern thong by which . . . a courser leads his greyhound. Hanmer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A swift or spirited horse; a racer or a war horse; a charger. [ Poetic. ] Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) A grallatorial bird of Europe (Cursorius cursor), remarkable for its speed in running. Sometimes, in a wider sense, applied to running birds of the Ostrich family. [ 1913 Webster ]

In coursing of a deer, or hart, with greyhounds. Bacon [ 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 ]

2. To express one's self in oral discourse; to expose one's views; to talk in a continuous or formal manner; to hold forth; to speak; to converse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To relate something; to tell. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To treat of something in writing and formally. [ 1913 Webster ]

The life of William Tyndale . . . is sufficiently and at large discoursed in the book. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To utter or give forth; to speak. [ 1913 Webster ]

It will discourse most eloquent music. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To talk to; to confer with. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I have spoken to my brother, who is the patron, to discourse the minister about it. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

In his conversation he was the most clear discourser. Milward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The writer of a treatise or dissertation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Philologers and critical discoursers. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Containing dialogue or conversation; interlocutory. [ 1913 Webster ]

The epic is everywhere interlaced with dialogue or discoursive scenes. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Inclined to converse; conversable; communicative; as, a discoursive man. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A group of four people or objects; as, we need another player to make a foursome for bridge. [ PJC ]

Lo! where the rosy-blosomed Hours,
Fair Venus' train, appear. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

This sweet intercourse
Of looks and smiles. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Same as sexual intercourse. [ PJC ]

Sexual intercourse, sexual or carnal connection; coition; copulation, especially between humans.

Syn. -- Communication; connection; commerce; communion; fellowship; familiarity; acquaintance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Nautical) A square mainsail. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

She noursled him till years he raught. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

We ourselves might distinctly number in words a great deal further then we usually do. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Safe in ourselves, while on ourselves we stand. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The form ourself is used only in the regal or formal style after we or us, denoting a single person. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unless we would denude ourself of all force. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Unto my first I will have my recourse. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Preventive physic . . . preventeth sickness in the healthy, or the recourse thereof in the valetudinary. Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Recurrence in difficulty, perplexity, need, or the like; access or application for aid; resort. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thus died this great peer, in a time of great recourse unto him and dependence upon him. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our last recourse is therefore to our art. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Access; admittance. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Give me recourse to him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Without recourse (Commerce), words sometimes added to the indorsement of a negotiable instrument to protect the indorser from liability to the indorsee and subsequent holders. It is a restricted indorsement. [ 1913 Webster ]

The flame departing and recoursing. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To have recourse; to resort. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hacket. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A natural channel for water; also, a canal for the conveyance of water, especially in draining lands. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) A running stream of water having a bed and banks; the easement one may have in the flowing of such a stream in its accustomed course. A water course may be sometimes dry. Angell. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]