Meaning of course In English

• 0 a set of classes or a plan of study on a particular subject, usually leading to an exam or qualification:

  • They're going away on a training course next week.

  • I'd like to do ( US take) a writing course when I retire.

  • UK Tim did a three-year course in linguistics at Newcastle.

• 1 an area of land or water used for a sports event:

  • a golf course/cross-country course

• 2 the often gradual development of something, or the way something happens, or a way of doing something:

  • Did the scandal have any effect on the course of the election?

  • In the course of (= during) the interview it became clear that he was not the right person for the job.

  • What would be an appropriate course (of action) in such a situation?

  • If our rivals are spending more on advertising, we'll have to follow the same course.

  • The defendants are also accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

  • I assume they plan to have children in the course of time.

  • With the course of time, I've learned to live with my disability.

• 3 the direction in which a vehicle, especially an aircraft, spacecraft, or ship, moves, or the path along which a river flows:

  • The pilot avoided a collision by changing course.

  • Changing the course of the river would cause serious environmental damage to the whole valley.

  • figurative The debate completely changed course after Liz made her speech.

  • Because of the recession, we're on course for/to have record unemployment levels.

• 4 a part of a meal that is served separately from the other parts:

  • a four-course lunch

  • A traditional British main course consists of a meat dish with potatoes and other vegetables.

• 5 a fixed number of regular medical treatments:

  • My doctor's put me on a course of antibiotics.

  • UK She needed a six-month course of physiotherapy after she broke her leg.

• 6 a continuous horizontal layer of bricks or other building material

• 7 the bleeding from a woman's uterus (= the organ in the body in which a baby develops before birth) that happens about once a month when she is not pregnant:

  • Her courses ceased and she knew that she was with child.

• 8 to flow quickly or in large amounts:

  • Tears were coursing down his cheeks.

  • You could almost hear the blood coursing through her veins as she passed the finishing line.

  • figurative A new wave of idealism is coursing through our schools.

• 9 the particular path something such as an aircraft or ship takes as it moves, or the path along which a river flows:

  • A southern course will take our flight over Texas.

  • The ship was blown off course (= away from its course) in the storm.

• 10 the often gradual development of something, or the way something happens, or a way of doing something:

  • He always chats with waiters and waitresses and becomes their best friends during the course of dinner.

• 11 a set of classes in a subject at a school or university:

  • He taught a course in film history at Harvard University.

• 12 an area used for a sports event:

  • a golf course

• 13 a part of a meal served separately from the other parts:

  • the meat course

• 14 a series of lessons on a particular subject:

  • course in/on sth We provide courses in commerce, finance, and basic marketing.

  • During the course, students will learn traditional business and project management skills.

  • run/teach/offer a course My company offers a lot of in-house training courses.

  • enrol on a course He has enrolled on a book-keeping course.

  • be on/go on/do a course Going on a course is a great way of learning in a focused environment.

  • take a course (in sth) She decided to take a course in recruitment practice to expand her career.

  • pass/fail/complete a course Students who fail to complete the course will not be awarded a certificate.

  • a course runs/takes place Our courses run between September and May.

  • a two-year/part-time/full-time, etc. course a three-day ICT course

  • an MBA/a management course

  • a degree/distance-learning course