# court

/ˈkɔɹt/ (US) · /kˈɔːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/court
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. law

noun · CEFR B1

the place where a judge and jury decide if someone has broken the law.

For teachers: a judicial body or the physical location where legal cases are heard and determined.

- The witness had to appear in court to tell the truth about the accident.
- The supreme court ruled that the new legislation was unconstitutional, effectively halting its implementation across the country.

### 2. sport

noun · CEFR A2

an area marked with lines for playing games like tennis or basketball.

For teachers: a quadrangular area, either open or enclosed, marked for playing various ball games.

- We booked a tennis court for two hours on Saturday morning.
- The basketball court was resurfaced over the summer to provide better traction for the varsity players during the winter season.

### 3. royalty

noun · CEFR B2

the family, friends, and advisors who live with a king or queen.

For teachers: the household, retinue, and advisors of a sovereign prince or monarch.

- The queen held a grand ball for all the members of her court.
- Life at the imperial court was governed by strict etiquette and complex social hierarchies that few outsiders understood.

### 4. courtyard

noun · CEFR B2

an open space that is surrounded by walls or buildings.

For teachers: an area open to the sky but enclosed by the walls of a building or several buildings.

- The hotel rooms all look out onto a quiet inner court with a fountain.
- The architect designed the office complex around a central court to ensure every workstation had access to natural light.

### 5. to seek romance

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to spend time with someone because you want to marry them or start a relationship.

For teachers: to pay amorous attention to someone with the intention of marriage or a committed relationship.

- In the old story, the prince tried to court the lady with poems and flowers.
- He spent the entire summer courting her, though his traditional approach seemed somewhat out of place in the modern city.

### 6. to risk or invite

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to act in a way that makes a particular result, often a bad one, likely to happen.

For teachers: to behave in a manner that invites or risks a specific consequence, typically a negative one.

- If you don't wear a coat in this weather, you are courting disaster.
- By ignoring the safety warnings, the company is courting a major lawsuit that could lead to bankruptcy.

## Examples

- The judge entered the court and everyone stood up.
- The lawyer argued that the evidence was not strong enough to be presented in a criminal court.
- While the basketball court remained empty during the summer break, the local tennis courts were constantly occupied by residents taking advantage of the clear weather.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.