courtship
(ˈkɔətʃɪp)
[f. court n.1 + -ship.]
† 1. a. Behaviour or action befitting a court or courtier; courtliness of manners. Obs.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. v. ii. 363 Trim gallants, full of Court⁓ship and of state. 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. A vj b, For valour, wit, and court-ship, few came nie me. 1627–77 Feltham Resolves i. xcv. 148 A man may look in vain for Courtship in a Plowman; or Learning in a Mechanic. 1673 [R. Leigh] Transp. Reh. 79 How one of his private condition and breeding could arrive to this degree of court-ship. |
b. Courteous behaviour; courtesy. Obs.
| a 1640 Massinger Very Woman i. i, Grant this, Which a mere stranger, in the way of courtship, Might challenge from you. 1665 J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 113 This Doctor might have had so much Courtship, or common Civility at least. 1719 D'Urfey Pills IV. 175 His Honour..in Courtship exceeding, Return'd a smart Speech. |
c. with pl. Obs.
| 1631 May tr. Barclay's Mirr. Mindes i. 211 Besides other elegancies and courtships which the customes of the age doe teach them. 1655 Theophania 36 He was so unaccustomed to such Courtships, that he knew not what reply to make to his civil expressions. |
† 2. The state befitting a court or courtier. Obs.
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iii. 34 More Validitie..more Courtship. 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 362 He liveth in better fashion of Courtship, than the other Princes. |
† 3. Office or position at court; position as a courtier, courtiership. Obs.
| a 1635 Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 29 We take him now as he was admitted into the Court, and the Queens favour... Hitherto I have only touched him in his Courtship; I conclude him in his lance. 1658–9 Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 62 I never had any office, nor any of my relations. I have no courtship. |
† 4. Practice of the arts of a courtier; courtcraft; diplomacy, flattery, etc. Obs.
| [1592 Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 12 a, The Frenchman..is whollie compact of deceiuable courtship.] 1625 in Rushw. Hist. Coll. (1659) I. 219 Courtship, Flattery and Pretence become not Kings Counsellors. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. viii. i. §6. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. 320 What-ever others out of fear or Courtship might call them. a 1734 North Lives (1826) III. 362 Who will think of rising by any means but courtship or corruption? |
† 5. a. The paying of court or courteous attentions; esp. the paying of ceremonial or complimentary acts of courtesy to (a dignitary). Obs.
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. iv. 24 Heere Bagot and Greene Obseru'd his Courtship to the common people..What reuerence he did throw away on slaues. 1638 Ford Fancies Ded., A practice of courtship to greatness. 1641 Milton Reform. ii. (1851) 58 The Magistrate..is to bee honour'd with a more elaborate and personall Courtship. 1729 Swift To Dr. Delany, Who paid his courtship with the croud As far as modest pride allow'd. |
b. with a and pl. Obs.
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad xv. 86 She all their courtships overpast with solemn negligence. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 8 He..cannot imagine God..pleased with..superficial courtships of ceremonious address. |
6. a. (a) The action or process of paying court to a woman with a view to marriage; courting, wooing.
| 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. viii. 44 Be merry, and imploy your chiefest thoughts To courtship, and such faire ostents of loue. 1676 D'Urfey Mad. Fickle iv. i, Follow me, and I'll place you, where you shall, unseen, hear all their Courtship. 1682 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) I. 236 Pretending court⁓ship, as is said, to the lady Ann. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 261 ¶3 The pleasantest Part of Man's Life is generally that which passes in Courtship. 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. xiv, A newly-married couple who had visited Mr. and Mrs. Kenwigs in their courtship. 1867 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. v. 304 A like piece of vigorous courtship is recorded of one of æthelred's descendants. |
(b) with a and pl.
| 1713 Steele Englishm. No. 9. 57 The Conversation of a Courtship is more pleasing than ordinary Discourse. Mod. The comparative advantages of long and short courtships. |
b. transf. of animals and plants.
| 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) VI. 26 Every meadow and marsh resounds with their [birds'] different calls, to courtship or to food. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 614 Not Darwin's self had more delight to sing Of floral courtship, in th' awaken'd spring. 1874 Sully Sens. & Intuit. 7 Deep sexual emotion built up during the courtships of unnumbered species. |
c. fig.
| 1635 Cowley Davideis ii. 60 Why does that twining plant the Oak embrace? The Oak for courtship most of all unfit. 1856 Grindon Life v. (1875) 51 The plainest face improves under the courtship of the summer breezes. |
7. fig. The action of courting, soliciting, or enticing; endeavour to win over or gain.
| 1727 De Foe Syst. Magic i. iii. (1840) 86 The first attack the Devil made upon our Mother Eve we have had fully described..Mr. Milton has given us the particulars as distinctly..as if he had..heard the courtship, and how cunningly the Devil managed. 1816 Byron Siege Cor. xiii, In vain from side to side he throws His form, in courtship of repose. 1824 Westm. Rev. I. 454 Wallachia and Turkish Moldavia are open to Austrian courtship. |
8. attrib. (chiefly sense 6 b).
| 1801 Monthly Mirror Sept. 203 In the most unnatural court-ship scene with Lady Anne..I saw only the tyrant hatching plans. 1923 J. S. Huxley Ess. Biologist iv. 135 In a large number of birds..the courtship-displays are mutual. 1924 J. A. Thomson Sci. Old & New xxiii. 130 In the case of spiders, it appears highly probable that the courtship-dance serves to excite the interest and sex-instincts of the female. 1938 Brit. Birds XXXI. 320 The courtship flight and trill is the chief form of courtship activity. 1948 Ibid. XLI. 127 Courtship-feeding of Scottish Crossbill. 1950 Oxf. Jun. Encycl. IX. 235/1 Courtship Dances..developed out of the fertility rites... Often in such dances the man shows off before the lady by performing the most spectacular tricks. 1959 A. Hardy Fish & Fisheries i. 3 A male dragonet in courtship dress may flash with rainbow hues. |