conversa

n. The quality of being conversable; disposition to converse; sociability. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a conversable manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or quality of being conversant; habit of familiarity; familiar acquaintance; intimacy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Conversance [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. conversans, p. pr. of conversari: cf. F. conversant. ] 1. Having frequent or customary intercourse; familiary associated; intimately acquainted. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have been conversant with the first persons of the age. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Familiar or acquainted by use or study; well-informed; versed; -- generally used with with, sometimes with in. [ 1913 Webster ]

Deeply conversant in the Platonic philosophy. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

he uses the different dialects as one who had been conversant with them all. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Conversant only with the ways of men. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Concerned; occupied. [ 1913 Webster ]

Education . . . is conversant about children. W. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who converses with another; a convenser. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a familiar manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. conversacio (in senses 1 & 2), OF. conversacion, F. conversation, fr. L. conversatio frequent abode in a place, intercourse, LL. also, manner of life. ] 1. General course of conduct; behavior. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel. Philip. i. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Familiar intercourse; intimate fellowship or association; close acquaintance. “Conversation with the best company.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

I set down, out of long experience in business and much conversation in books, what I thought pertinent to this business. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Commerce; intercourse; traffic. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

All traffic and mutual conversation. Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Colloquial discourse; oral interchange of sentiments and observations; informal dialogue. [ 1913 Webster ]

The influence exercised by his [ Johnson's ] conversation was altogether without a parallel. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Sexual intercourse; as, criminal conversation.

Syn. -- Intercourse; communion; commerce; familiarity; discourse; dialogue; colloquy; talk; chat. -- Conversation, Talk. There is a looser sense of these words, in which they are synonymous; there is a stricter sense, in which they differ. Talk is usually broken, familiar, and versatile. Conversation is more continuous and sustained, and turns ordinarily upon topics or higher interest. Children talk to their parents or to their companions; men converse together in mixed assemblies. Dr. Johnson once remarked, of an evening spent in society, that there had been a great deal of talk, but no conversation. [ 1913 Webster ]