▪ I. recourse, n.1
(rɪˈkɔəs)
Also 4–6 recours.
[a. F. recours (13th c.):—L. recurs-um, f. re- re- + currĕre to run: see course n.]
† 1. a. A running, coming, or flowing back, a return (in lit. or fig. uses), refluence; also, opportunity or passage to return. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Sqr.'s T. 67, I wol nat taryen yow, for it is pryme,..Vn to my firste I wol haue my recours. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) v. xiii. 104 These ben thre glorious recours of the sonne. c 1483 Skelton Death Edw. IV 16 What ordeyned God to be terestryall, Without recours to the erth of nature? 1555 Bonner Necess. Doctr. C, The Excourse of hym is even unto the helles, and the recourse of him is unto the seate of God. 1591 R. Wilmot Tancred & Gism. ii. i, How time once past, may neuer haue recourse. 1644 Bulwer Chiron. 31 The Hand directed towards the Auditours..maintaining its gravity with a swift recourse. 1668 Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. Man. i. i. 302 The recourse of the Blood into the Heart is hindred. |
† b. Freq. in phr. course and recourse. Obs.
| 1461 Petit. Citizens Exeter in West. Morn. News (1884) 15 Aug. 8/4 To have course and recourse with their boates. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health cclxxi. 90 b, Opilacion or stoppynge of the bloude which hath not his true course nor recourse. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 71 In their courses and recourses [they] observe a warlike kind of motion round. 1653 Gataker Vind. Annot. Jer. 169 [He] delivered the set time of the Suns course and recourse from tropik to tropik. |
† c. A coming back or round in due season; a periodical recurrence. Obs.
| 1584 R. Scot Discov. Witchcr. viii. i. (1886) 125 Some Siloah..whereinto at certeine ordinarie recourses of times sicke folke maie plunge themselves. 1653 Milton Hirelings 61 The seaventh day is..a convenient recourse of worship in fit season. a 1677 Barrow Serm. vii. Wks. 1687 I. 92 The constant rising of the Sun upon us,..the recourse of temperate seasons. |
† 2. a. Course, movement, or flow in some direction; a course, passage, or path to or into something. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. met. ii. 4 (Camb. MS.) Which sterre in heuene vseth wandrynge recourses [L. vagos recursus]. c 1540 Boorde Boke for to Lerne A iv b, That some freshe spryng haue a recourse to noryshe and to refreshe the sayd standynge waters. 1555 Eden Decades 83, I doo not vnderstande howe soo many and soo great ryuers may haue recourse into this north sea. 1620 Markham Farew. Husb. ii. xviii. (1668) 92 The second dryed up by the air which hath free recourse into it. 1653 Harvey Anat. Exerc. (1673) 61 You shall quickly see the distance betwixt the heart and the ligature emptied, so that you must needs affirm the recourse of blood. |
| transf. 1566 Drant Horace, Sat. ii. vi. H vij b, Thus I spende my dayes, in muche recourse of care. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 41 All times are..replenished with recourse of fresh calamities. |
† b. The ebb and flow of the tide. Obs.
| 1592 Breton C'tess Pembrokes Loue (1879) 24/1 Thou makest the tides to take their due recourse. 1622 Callis Stat. Sewers (1647) 27 Not accounted grounds left or gained from the sea, because the sea hath daily her recourse thereon. |
† c. A gathering or collection (of matter). Obs.—1
| 1559 Morwyng Evonym. 83 Aqua vitæ simple and alone..breaketh an impostume or recours of matter. |
3. a. Resort or application to some person or thing for assistance, help, or safety.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1303 (1352) To pandarus was alwey his recours, And pitousli gan ay to him pleyne. 1529 More Dyaloge iv. Wks. 270/1 It minished the necessitie of mannes recourse vnto god, for calling helpe of his grace. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 761 Being farre of from the lawe and recourse to justice. a 1639 Wotton Life Dk. Buckhm. in Reliq. (1651) 118 Thus died this great Peer..in a time of great recourse unto him and dependance upon him. 1734 tr. Rollin's Anc. Hist. (1827) I. Pref. 23 This perpetual recourse to the Deity is one of the principal foundations of religion. 1775 Fletcher Last Check §3 Wks. 1795 VI. 38 A heart-felt ceaseless recourse to the righteousness of Christ. 1871 G. H. Napheys Prev. & Cure Dis. i. v. 151 Our first recourse is to the windows. |
b. Freq. in phr. to have († one's or a) recourse to: to apply or betake oneself to (a person, etc.) for help, advice, or information.
| c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶476 If ye wol thanne take vengeance of youre enemys, ye shul retourne or haue youre recours to the Iuge that hath the Iurisdiccion vp-on hem. 1484 Caxton Chivalry 31 The feble and lasse haue recours to the grete. 1502 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione iii. xliii. 232 Moyses euer had a recours to the tabernacle of god for doubtis & questyons. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶11 They had recourse at the last, to this shift. 1650 Fuller Pisgah ii. xi. 229 In this straight he hath his recourse by prayer to God. 1707 Curios. in Husb. & Gard. 22 They who have a liking to that sort of Compositions, may have recourse to Dornavius in his Amphitheatrum Sapientiæ. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. xvi. (1869) I. 400 If threats and persuasions proved ineffectual, he had often recourse to violence. 1865 Tylor Early Hist. Man. ii. 18 Those who cannot speak, and must therefore have recourse to other means of communication. |
† c. Similarly, to take or make recourse to. Obs.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VI. 265 If eny man desire to see moore of the story of kynge Charls, y cownsayle that he take recourse to the wrytenges of Alcuinus his maister. 1623 tr. Favine's Theat. Hon. vi. ix. 151 Pedro the Cruell, made recourse with his Treasures to the English. 1637 R. Ashley tr. Malvezzi's David Persecuted 218 When hee could have no answer, [he] makes recourse to the Devill. |
4. a. The thing, means, or person applied or resorted to for help, etc.; † a supply, relay.
| c 1440 York Myst. xxvii. 141 Ye nedis non othir recours to craue. 1544 Exhort. vnto Praier A ij, Forasmoche as Prayer is the verye true mean..wherby..we may..haue a recourse and a refuge for helpe. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. x. 47 Cluyd doth quickly call Her great recourse, to come and gard her. 1654–66 Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 533, I have so many fresh recourses of Men, that [etc.]. 1700 Dryden Sigism. & Guisc. 415 Thy little care to mend my widow'd nights Has forc'd me to recourse of marriage rites. 1774 J. Bryant Mythol. II. 142 This is their usual recourse, when they are hard pressed by inconsistencies. 1855 Milman Lat. Chr. vi. ii. (1864) III. 403 The Greeks in despair of maintaining their ground..had vainly sought recourse in craft. |
b. Law (chiefly Sc.). The right to demand pecuniary compensation from some one; esp. the right which the holder of a bill of exchange has to come back upon the drawer and indorsers if the acceptor fails to meet it.
| 1747 Sc. Acts Sederunt 401 The question..whether a bill of Exchange..must be protested upon the..last day of grace..in order to afford recourse against the drawer. 1751 M{supc}Douall Laws Scot. i. xiii. I. 360 They [bills] must be protested..otherwise recourse against the drawer will be denied. Ibid. 368 The correspondent who furnishes the goods loses his action of recourse against the writer [of a letter of credit]. a 1768 Erskine Inst. Law Scot. iii. ii. §34 The possessor of a bill who has not used exact diligence, should lose his recourse against the drawer. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 827 Recourse is the right competent to an assignee or disponee, under the warrandice of the transaction, to recur on the vender or cedent for relief, in case of eviction or of defects inferring warrandice. 1879 Times 12 Dec., Holders of ‘agency’ bills would have no recourse. 1885 Sir E. Fry in Law Rep. 29 Chanc. Div. 264 A property or fund against which Russell had a right of recourse. |
c. Law. Phr. without recourse, used to indicate that the endorser of a bill, etc., shall not be held liable for its non-payment.
| 1800 U.S. Supreme Ct. Rep. (1816) VII. 160 Pay the within to James Welch, on order, without any recourse whatever. 1805 Ibid. (1807) III. 203 The words without recourse do not imply without value. 1839 Bouvier Law Dict. I. 499/1 The words commonly used are sans recours, without recourse. 1878 M. D. Chalmers Digest of Law of Bills of Exchange iv. 97 It is held in America that an indorser ‘without recourse’ is responsible..e.g., where the bill is a forgery. 1948 D. Richardson Simple Guide Bills of Exchange Acts ii. 56 When a party adds to his signature the words sans recours (i.e., without recourse to me)..he means that, should the bill be dishonoured, the holder cannot look to him for repayment. |
† 5. a. Usual or habitual going or resorting to a particular place. Obs.
| 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxxix. 306 All their chefe recours was in France, for they called the realme of Fraunce their chambre. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 25 Whether the marchauntes and straungers haue their continual recourse as to ye burse or strete. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 212 It yeelded them a great profit by the recourse of devout Christians travelling thither. 1623 Gouge Serm. Extent God's Provid. §15 This withdrawing chamber was next to his bed-chamber. He had oft recourse thither. 1658 W. Burton Itin. Anton. 70 They had their place of recourse or rendevouz. 1705 in W. S. Perry Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch. (1870) I. 165 There is such a recourse of the Clergy to Gov{supr} Nicholson's Lodgings. |
† b. Gathering or concourse (of people) at a particular time. Obs.
| 1516 Life Bridget in Myrr. our Ladye p. lvii, In suche grete recourse of the people the Body was caryed to the monastery of Seynt Laurence. 1544 Bale Chron. Sir J. Oldcastell 39 b, That ye cause this condemnacyon..to be publyshed..by youre curates and paryshe Priestes, soche tyme as they shall haue most recourse of people. 1599 Warn. Faire Wom. i. 448 Beside, Recourse of servants and of passengers Might have been jealous of our conference. 1656 Duchess of Newcastle True Relat. Life (1886) 285 Their customs were..to ride in their coaches about the streets to see the concourse and recourse of people. |
† c. The act of retiring (to rest). Obs. rare—1.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. ix. 26 Her crased helth, her late recourse to rest. |
† d. An occasion of going, a visit. Obs. rare—1.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. viii. 369 The chiefe Mosque too in which..[he] and I had three sundry recourses accompanied with our Moorish hoste. |
† 6. a. Opportunity of resorting to a person; access, admission. Obs.
| 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. (1556) 40 This familiar and secrete recourse, that he had to the emperour. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. iii. i. 112, I, but the doores be lockt,..That no man hath recourse to her by night. 1594 ― Rich. III, iii. v. 109 To giue order, that no manner person Haue any time recourse vnto the Princes. |
† b. A going backwards and forwards between persons; intercourse of this nature. Obs.
| 1677 W. Hubbard Narrative 125 We feared we should be discovered by reason of the frequent recourse between them by certain Squaws (who have mutual recourse). 1719 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. III. 86 That they expected to have free recourse for the peple amongst the English Plantations. |
▪ II. † reˈcourse, n.2 Sc. Obs.
[var. rescourse n.; cf. F. recousse, var. rescousse.]
Rescue.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy iii. xx. (S.T.S.) II. 29 To bring agane the residew of þare armye to þare recours. 1616 Barbour's Bruce (ed. Hart) 40 [iii. 76] When the King theim made recourse, Duke Betyse tooke on hym the flight. |
▪ III. recourse, v.1
(rɪˈkɔəs)
[f. recourse n.1]
† 1. intr. To run back, return (to a place). Obs.
| c 1500 Lancelot 1798 Out of this world when þow sal pas the cours, Fair well, I-wys! þow neuer shall Recours. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1127 The harte to the forest recoursed certayne. 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 1152/1 The flame departyng and recoursing thrise ere the woode tooke strength..to consume him. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix. 422, I recoursed backe in a Flemish Pink to Stockhollem. |
† b. transf. To recur to the mind; to go back to an earlier point. Obs.
| 1561 Abp. Parker Corr. (Parker Soc.) 158 St Hierome's rhetoric recourseth to my mind. 1590 Spenser F.Q. Auth. Let., A Poet thrusteth into the middest..and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste [etc.]. |
† 2. To resort or flow into. Obs. rare—1.
| 1576 Newton Lemnie's Complex. (1633) 34 [Man] hath also..externall spirits recoursing into his body and minde. |
3. Const. to. To have recourse to, to fall back on. Now rare or Obs.
| 1586 J. Hooker Hist. Irel. in Holinshed II. 51/1 Recoursing deuoutlie to the onlie refuge of humane saluation. 1605 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iii. iii. Lawe 431 The Court recourst to Lakes, to Springs, and Brooks. 1668 Hale Pref. Rolle's Abridgm. 9 He will be able upon any occasion suddenly to find any thing he hath read, without recoursing to Tables, or other Repertories. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams ii. (1692) 201 These dogmatists dare not recourse to Scripture. 1804 Something Odd II. 209 One or other of your personages are for ever recoursing to tears. |
Hence reˈcoursing ppl. a., returning.
| 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 49 The wandring night was chased..by the recoursing day. |
▪ IV. † reˈcourse, v.2 Sc. Obs.
[var. of rescourse v.]
trans. To rescue.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy ii. ix. (S.T.S.) I. 161 Manilius was haistelie recoursit be ane weyng of latynis. Ibid. xxii. 221 He was nocht fer distant.., and mycht haue recoursit þe samyn [garrison] gif he had plesit. |