conversation

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Related terms 1.3.2 Derived terms 1.3.3 Usage notes 1.3.4 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.5 Anagrams 2 French 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Pronunciation 2.3 Noun 2.3.1 Synonyms 2.3.2 Hypernyms 2.3.3 Hyponyms 2.3.4 Derived terms 2.4 Anagrams

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From Old French conversation, from Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“‘conversation’”), from conversor (“‘abide, keep company with’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˌkɒnvəˈseɪʃən/
• (US) IPA: /ˌkɑnvɚˈseɪʃən/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -eɪʃǝn

[edit] Noun

conversation (plural conversations)

1. (obsolete) Interaction; commerce or intercourse between people.
2. (obsolete) Sexual intercourse.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 333:

     The landlady therefore would by no means have admitted any conversation of a disreputable kind to pass under her roof.

3. (archaic) Behaviour, the way one conducts oneself; a person's way of life.
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, New York Review of Books, 2001, p. 50:

     There are many that take no heed what happeneth to others by bad conversation , and therefore overthrow themselves in the same manner through their own fault, not foreseeing dangers manifest.

4. Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking.

   I had an interesting conversation with Nicolas yesterday about how much he's getting paid.

5. (fencing) The back-and-forth play of the blades in a bout.

[edit] Related terms

• converse
• conversant
• conversational

[edit] Derived terms

• conversation piece

[edit] Usage notes

• To make conversation means to start a conversation with someone with no other aim than to talk and break the silence.
• To have a conversation, and to hold a conversation, both mean to converse.
• See Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to conversation (third-person singular simple present conversations, present participle conversationing, simple past and past participle conversationed)

1. (nonstandard, ambitransitive) To engage in conversation (with).
   • 1983, James Frederick Mason, Hélène Joséphine Harvitt, The French review

     Gone now are the "high-minded" style, the "adapted from literature" feel, the voice-over narration, and the abstract conversationing about ideas, values...

   • 1989, Robert L Gale, A Henry James encyclopedia

     ...he has breakfasted me, dined me, conversationed me, absolutely caressed me. He has been really most kind and paternal...

   • 2002, Georgie Nickell, I Only Smoke on Thursdays

     After all this conversationing, Scottie, my usual dance partner, was getting antsy and wanted to dance.

[edit] Anagrams

• Alphagram: aceinnoorstv
• conservation

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

Borrowed from Latin conversātiō (“‘conversation’”).

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /kɔ̃.vɛʁ.sa.sjɔ̃/, X-SAMPA: /ko~.vER.sa.sjo~/

   Audio (France, Paris)^{help, file}

• Homophones: conversations
• Hyphenation: con‧ver‧sa‧tion

[edit] Noun

conversation f. (plural conversations)

1. conversation

[edit] Synonyms

• bavardage
• causerie
• dialogue
• discussion

[edit] Hypernyms

• communication

[edit] Hyponyms

• aparté
• interview

[edit] Derived terms

• avoir de la conversation
• conversationnel

[edit] Anagrams

• Alphagram: aceinnoorstv
• conservation