course

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
course/kɔːs/

▶noun

• 1 the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river.

• 2 the way in which something progresses or develops.

  ■ (also course of action) a procedure adopted to deal with a situation.

• 3 a dish forming one of the successive parts of a meal.

• 4 a series of lectures or lessons in a particular subject.

  ■ Medicine a series of repeated treatments or doses of medication.

• 5 an area of land prepared for racing, golf, or another sport.

• 6 a continuous horizontal layer of brick or stone.

• 7 Bell-ringing a series of changes which brings the bells back to their original order, or the changes of a particular bell.

• 8 a sail on the lowest yards of a square-rigged ship.

▶verb

• 1 (of liquid) flow.

• 2 (often as noun coursing) pursue (game, especially hares) with greyhounds using sight rather than scent.

– phrases
the course of nature normal and expected events or processes.
in (the) course of

• 1 undergoing (the specified process).

• 2 during (the specified period).

of course as expected.

■ used to give or emphasize agreement or permission.

■ admittedly.

on (or off) course following (or not following) the intended route.
run (or take) its course complete its natural development without interference.

– origin ME: from OFr. cours, from L. cursus, from curs-, currere ‘run’.