court

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

v. t. solicit, invite; curry favor, cultivate, cajole, praise; woo, sue, make love to. Informal, spark. — n. enclosure, [court]yard, quadrangle, patio; tribunal, bench, bar, jurisdiction, session; courtship, addresses, attention; palace, hall; retinue, following, train. See endearment, enclosure, fashion, flattery, lawsuit, servant, abode, council, judgment.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [An enclosed, roofless area]

Syn. square, courtyard, quadrangle, quad*, enclosure, atrium, forum, patio, plaza, piazza, common(s), close, cloister; see also yard 1 .

2. [An instrument for administering justice]

Syn. tribunal, forum, bench, bar, session, court of law, law court, judiciary, assizes, chancery, seat of justice; see also judiciary .

Types of courts include: the Supreme Court, appellate court, Federal court, court of Chancery, court of equity, district court, county court, municipal court, probate court, traffic court, justice's court, magistrate's court, mayor's court, police court, military court, trial court, court of appeals.

3. [The home of a court, sense 2]

Syn. courthouse, justice building, court building, hall of justice, courtroom, federal building, county courthouse, municipal building, city hall, town hall.

4. [A sovereign and his or her surroundings]

Syn. retinue, lords and ladies, ladies in waiting, attendants, suite, royal persons, staff, train, royal residence, palace, castle, hall, royal household, entourage; see also government 2 , palace , royalty , ruler 1 .

5. [An area for playing certain games]

Syn. rink, ring, lists, cockpit, circus, the hardwood*; see also arena , field 2 .

• pay court to,

Syn. woo, court, solicit; see court 1 .

v.

1. [To woo]

Syn. invite, bid, solicit, address, beseech, entice, attract, allure, entreat, importune, sue for, pursue, follow, seek after, make suit, supplicate, plead, make love to, pay court to, pay attentions to, seek the hand of, pay one's addresses to, flirt with, philander, coquet, make overtures, make advances, go courting, propose, make a proposal, ask in marriage, set one's cap for*, pop the question*, chase*, run after*, make time with*, go steady*, go together*, go with*, make a play for*; see also accompany 1 , date 2 , flirt 1 , woo 1 .

2. [To seek favor]

Syn. cultivate, curry favor, attend, flatter; see grovel , praise 1 , woo 2 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. courtyard enclosure, quadrangle, plaza, square, patio, atrium.

2. attendants entourage, staff, retinue, cortege.

3. court of law court of justice, judiciary, bench, bar, forum, tribunal, municipal building, hall of justice.

WORD FIND

• action: suit

• appearance before judge without formal trial: hearing

• arrest order for failure to appear: bench warrant

• blatant show of disrespect for court rules: contempt of court

• bond forfeited if accused fails to show up for court: bail

• calendar of cases: docket

• court order: injunction

• court system: judiciary

• DA: district attorney, prosecutor

• damages awarded beyond plaintiff’s loss to punish defendant: punitive damages, exemplary damages, double damages

• decision: judgment

• decision won without proceedings, for failure of one party to show: default judgment

• defendant’s suit against plaintiff: countersuit, counterclaim

• defending party in a court action: defendant

• disposition of case by negotiating guilty plea for lesser charge: plea bargaining

• fail to appear after posting bail: jump bail

• faulty trial that is voided: mistrial

• filer of court action: plaintiff, petitioner

• general jurisdiction court: superior court

• hearing of charges, entering of plea by accused: arraignment

• hears appeals from lower court decisions: court of appeals

• higher court that reviews lower court decisions: appellate court

• highest: Supreme Court

• inquiry, judicial: inquest

• intermediary who settles cases out of court: mediator

• judge’s private room: chambers

• jury, citizen’s obligation to serve on: jury duty

• jury member: juror

• jury member’s verdict, surveying each: polling the jury

• jury’s decision: verdict

• jury selection process: impaneling

• jury spokesman: foreman

• jury, trial without: bench trial

• jury, twelve-member: petit jury, jury

• jury, 12-23 members, evaluates accusations, returns indictments: grand jury

• jury unable to reach consensus: hung jury

• jury, unethical contact with by lawyer: jury tampering

• lawyer: counsel, attorney, barrister (Brit.), solicitor (Brit.), advocate

• lawyer provided by government for the poor: public defender

• lawyer’s assistant: paralegal

• local criminal and civil court: municipal court

• location/jurisdiction: venue

• loss claimed by plaintiff: damages

• lowest court, holds sessions at different places: circuit court

• lying while under oath: perjury

• military court proceedings: court-martial

• minor claims court: small claims court

• officer/guard who maintains order in courtroom: bailiff

• order to appear in court: subpoena, summons

• order to arrest someone: warrant

• order to restrict comments about case outside court: gag order

• order to search a location for evidence: search warrant

• party to a lawsuit: litigant

• pledge to tell nothing but the truth: oath

• present or argue a case in court: plead

• private suit: civil action

• punishment handed down by judge: sentence

• questioning of opposing party witness by lawyer: cross examination

• retrial from lower court to higher: appeal

• ruling, plea for: motion

• seat of judge: bench

• seat of witness while testifying: witness stand, witness box

• similar earlier case used as model in later case: precedent

• simulated trial by law students: moot court

• suit filed on behalf of a group: class action suit

• suspend proceedings: adjourn, recess

• suspension of sentencing: stay

• sworn statement: affidavit

• transcribes court proceedings word for word: court reporter, stenographer

• unsanctioned court that ignores appropriate legal procedures: kangaroo court

• will and estate processing court: probate court, surrogate court

• witness who is absolutely vital: material witness

• witness who is biased against opponent: hostile witness

• witness’s pretrial statement given while under oath: deposition

• written statement charging one with crime: indictment

see law

II

v.

woo, pursue, keep company with, date, take out, curry favor with, pander to, flatter, blandish, cajole, fawn over, *brown-nose, *kiss up to.

ANT.: reject, shun, avoid

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. An area partially or entirely enclosed by walls or buildings: atrium, close, courtyard, enclosure, quad, quadrangle, yard. See PLACE. 2. A judicial assembly: bar, tribunal. See LAW. II verb 1. To behave so as to bring on (danger, for example): invite, provoke, tempt. See SEEK. 2. To attempt to gain the affection of: pursue, spark2, woo. Informal: romance. See SEEK, SEX.