conversation
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also convèrsâtion
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Old French conversation, from Latin conversātiōnem, accusative singular of conversātiō (“conversation”), from conversor (“abide, keep company with”).
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
conversation (plural conversations)
- Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking. [from 16th c.]
- I had an interesting conversation with Nicolas yesterday about how much he's getting paid.
- (fencing) The back-and-forth play of the blades in a bout.
- (obsolete) Interaction; commerce or intercourse with other people; dealing with others. [14th-18th c.]
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts XI:
- Yt chaunsed thatt a whole yere they had their conversacion with the congregacion there, and taught moche people insomoche thatt the disciples off Antioche we the fyrst that wer called Christen.
- 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts XI:
- (archaic) Behaviour, the way one conducts oneself; a person's way of life. [from 14th c.]
- 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.
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, New York Review of Books, 2001, p. 50:
- (obsolete) Sexual intercourse. [16th-19th c.]
- 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury:
- Ariadne [...] quitted her Lover Theseus, for the tumultuous Conversation of Bacchus.
- 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.
- 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of the Life of Sally Salisbury:
- (computing) The protocol-based interaction between systems processing a transaction.
Synonyms [edit]
- (expression and exchange of ideas through talking): banter, chat, chinwag, dialogue, discussion, interlocution, powwow, table talk
Derived terms [edit]
Related terms [edit]
Usage notes [edit]
- 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
Translations [edit]
talking
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fencing term
Verb [edit]
conversation (third-person singular simple present conversations, present participle conversationing, simple past and past participle conversationed)
- (nonstandard, transitive, intransitive) 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.
- 1983, James Frederick Mason, Hélène Joséphine Harvitt, The French review
Statistics [edit]
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Most common English words before 1923: officers · likely · beneath · #834: conversation · music · direction · o'
Anagrams [edit]
French [edit]
Etymology [edit]
Borrowed from Latin conversātiō (“conversation”).
Pronunciation [edit]
- IPA: /kɔ̃.vɛʁ.sa.sjɔ̃/, X-SAMPA: /ko~.vER.sa.sjo~/
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Audio (France, Paris) (file) - Homophone: conversations
- Hyphenation: con‧ver‧sa‧tion
Noun [edit]
conversation f (plural conversations)
