Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Courtesy
Cour′te-sy
(k?r′t?-s?)
, Noun.
pl.
Courtesies
(-s[GREEK]z)
. [OE.
cortaisie
, corteisie
, courtesie
, OF. curteisie
, cortoisie
, OF. curteisie
, cortoisie
, F. courtoisie
, fr. curteis
, corteis
. See Courteous
.] 1.
Politeness; civility; urbanity; courtliness.
And trust thy honest-offered
With oft is sooner found in lowly sheds,
With smoky rafters, than in tapestry walls
And courts of princes, where it first was named,
And yet is most pretended.
courtesy
,With oft is sooner found in lowly sheds,
With smoky rafters, than in tapestry walls
And courts of princes, where it first was named,
And yet is most pretended.
Milton.
Pardon me, Messer Claudio, if once more
I use the ancient
I use the ancient
courtesies
of speech. Longfellow.
2.
An act of civility or respect; an act of kindness or favor performed with politeness.
My lord, for your many
courtesies
I thank you. Shakespeare
3.
Favor or indulgence, as distinguished from right;
as, a title given one by
. courtesy
Syn. – Politeness; urbanity; civility; complaisance; affability; courteousness; elegance; refinement; courtliness; good breeding. See
Politeness
. Courte′sy
(kûrt′sy̆)
, Noun.
[See the preceding word.]
An act of civility, respect, or reverence, made by women, consisting of a slight depression or dropping of the body, with bending of the knees.
[Written also
curtsy
and curtsey
.] The lady drops a
courtesy
in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual. Golgsmith.
Courte′sy
,Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Courtesied
(-sĭd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Courtesying
.] To make a respectful salutation or movement of respect; esp. (with reference to women), to bow the body slightly, with bending of the knes.
Courte′sy
,Verb.
T.
To treat with civility.
[Obs.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Courtesy
COURTESY
,Noun.
1.
Elegance or politeness of manners; especially, politeness connected with kindness; civility; complaisance; as, the gentleman shows great courtesy to strangers; he treats his friends with great courtesy.2.
An act of civility or respect; an act of kindness or favor performed with politeness.3.
The act of civility, respect or reverence, performed by a woman; a fall or inclination of the body, corresponding in design to the bow of a gentleman.4.
A favor; as, to hold upon courtesy, that is, not of right, but by indulgence.Tenure by courtesy or curtesy, is where a man marries a woman seized of an estate of inheritance, and has by her issue born alive, which was capable of inheriting her estate; in this case, on the death of his wife, he holds the lands for his life, as tenant by curtesy.
COURTESY
,Verb.
I.
COURTESY
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
courtesy
courtesy
English
Noun
courtesy (countable and uncountable, plural courtesies)
- (uncountable) Polite behavior.
- Please extend them the courtesy of your presence.
- (countable) A polite gesture or remark.
- I offered them a ride simply as a courtesy.
- Shakespeare
- My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you.
- (uncountable) Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence.
- They call this pond a lake by courtesy only.
- (uncountable) Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.
- They received free advertising through the courtesy of the local newspaper.
- A curtsey.
- Goldsmith
- The lady drops a courtesy in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual.
- Goldsmith
Derived terms
Derived terms
Translations
polite behavior
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polite gesture or remark
consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence
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willingness or generosity in providing something needed
Derived terms
Verb
courtesy (third-person singular simple present courtesies, present participle courtesying, simple past and past participle courtesied)
- Alternative form of curtsey
- Samuel Richardson
- Well, but Polly attended, as I said; and there were strange simperings, and bowing, and courtesying, between them; the honest gentleman seeming not to know how to let his mistress wait upon him […]
- Samuel Richardson
Adjective
courtesy (not comparable) (used only before the noun)
- Given or done as a polite gesture.
- We paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors.
- Free of charge.
- The event planners offered courtesy tickets for the reporters.
Translations
given or done as a polite gesture
free of charge
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