court
gb/kˈɔɹt/ us/kˈɔɹt/
A2
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Place for legal proceedings
A place where a judge decides if someone has broken the law.
Usage pattern:
in [a/the] court
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'court' with 'courtyard', which is an open space outside a building.
Synonyms
tribunal (More formal term, often used for special or military courts.)
Antonyms
street (Contrasts with the official, legal setting of a court.)
Collocations
go to court
|court hearing
|court case
|court order
|court ruling
Themes
law
|government
Examples
- The trial will take place in the city court.
- She was summoned to appear in court next Monday.
- The court ruled in favor of the defendant.
- He spent the day testifying in court.
- The lawyer presented evidence before the court.
Learner examples
- The man is in court today.
- I saw the judge in the court.
- She went to court for her case.
- The court is busy this morning.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Sports playing area
A marked space where you play sports like tennis or basketball.
Usage pattern:
on [a/the] court
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'court' with 'field' when talking about sports; 'court' is not used for soccer or rugby.
Synonyms
playing field (Usually for outdoor field sports, not indoor court games.)
Antonyms
field (Used for grass-based sports rather than hard-surface sports areas.)
Collocations
tennis court
|basketball court
|on court
|court surface
Themes
sports
Examples
- They met on the basketball court after school.
- The tennis courts are closed for maintenance.
- She is the best player on the court.
- The referee entered the court to start the game.
Learner examples
- We play tennis on a court.
- The basketball court is big.
- They clean the court before the game.
- I run fast on the court.
Verb
B2
action
3
Seek love or approval
To try to make someone love you or like you.
Usage pattern:
to court [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'court' in this sense only applies to love, but it can also mean seeking approval from groups or people in power.
Synonyms
woo (More romantic and old-fashioned than 'court'.)
Antonyms
ignore (Shows no attempt to get attention or affection.)
Collocations
court favor
|court popularity
|courting couples
Themes
relationships
Examples
- He spent months courting her before they got engaged.
- The company is courting investors from abroad.
- She has been courting his attention for weeks.
Learner examples
- He is courting her now.
- They are courting each other.
- The man wants to court the woman.
Noun
B1
entity
4
Legal body and process
The people and actions that make up a trial.
Synonyms
judiciary (More formal and institutional term for legal authorities.)
Antonyms
public opinion (Contrasts with formal legal judgment.)
Collocations
the court decided
|the court finds
|court proceedings
Themes
law
Examples
- The court decided in favor of the plaintiff.
- The court will hear your case next month.
- Court proceedings resumed after lunch.
Learner examples
- The court starts at 9 a.m.
- The court listens to the case.
- The court makes a decision.
Noun
B2
entity
5
Royal household and advisors
The home of a king or queen and the people who work for them.
Synonyms
palace staff (Refers specifically to people working in a palace, not the political institution.)
Antonyms
commoners (Ordinary people not part of royal life.)
Collocations
royal court
|at court
|court intrigue
Themes
history
|politics
Examples
- He was summoned to appear at the royal court.
- Life at court was full of intrigue and politics.
- The king's court welcomed foreign ambassadors.
Learner examples
- The king lives in the court.
- Many people work in the royal court.
- They visit the queen at her court.
Verb
B2
action
6
Invite danger or trouble
To do something that will probably bring you trouble or danger.
Usage pattern:
to court [danger/trouble/disaster]
Synonyms
invite trouble (Less formal, more conversational version of 'court trouble'.)
Antonyms
avoid risk (To take care not to cause harm or problems.)
Collocations
court disaster
|court danger
|court controversy
Themes
risk
|daily_life
Examples
- By ignoring safety rules, he was courting disaster.
- She courted controversy with her latest comments.
- They are courting trouble by breaking the law.
Learner examples
- He courts danger when he drives fast.
- She courts trouble by talking too much.
- We should not court disaster.
Grammar
Dictionary form
court
IPA
GB/kˈɔɹt/
US/kˈɔɹt/
Syllables & stress
court (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (court)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: court
- Plural: court, courts
Verb
- Base: court
- 3rd Person Singular: courts
- Present Participle: courting
- Past: courted
Word family
Expressions
day in court
1/dˈeɪ ˈɪn kˈɔɹt/
idiom
Chance to be heard fairly
A chance to explain your side of something in front of others, often in law.
Examples
- Everyone deserves their day in court.
- He finally got his day in court after years of waiting.
go to court
1/ɡˈoʊ tə kˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
Take a case to a judge
To ask a judge to decide about a problem or crime.
Examples
- If they don't pay, we'll have to go to court.
- She went to court to fight the fine.
hold court
1/hˈoʊld kˈɔɹt/
idiom
informal
Be center of attention socially
To be the main person talking and entertaining people in a group.
Examples
- He was holding court at the bar, telling stories all night.
- She loves holding court at family gatherings.
take someone to court
1/tˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌn tə kˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
Sue someone legally
To make someone go before a judge because you think they did something wrong.
Examples
- They took the company to court over unpaid wages.
- She threatened to take him to court if he didn't fix the problem.