{
    "term": "court",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "image": "data/images/sp/sports_racket.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the place where legal trials take place and where crimes, etc. are judged",
            "sensetop": "in courtto courtout of court",
            "labels": "(British English)North American English(especially North American English)(especially US English)(especially North American English)(British English)(North American English)British EnglishNorth American EnglishNorth American English",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the civil/criminal courts"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her lawyer made a statement outside the court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Relatives of the victims were in court.",
                    "contextForm": "in court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She will **appear in court** tomorrow."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They **took** their landlord **to court** for breaking the contract.",
                    "contextForm": "to court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The case took five years to **come to court** *(= to be heard by the court)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There wasn't enough evidence to **bring the case to court** *(= start a trial)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The case was **settled out of court** *(= a decision was reached without a trial)*.",
                    "contextForm": "out of court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He won the **court case** and was awarded damages."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She can't pay her tax and is facing **court action**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "During the **court hearing**, the prosecutor said she would seek maximum prison sentences."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Court documents showing illegal transactions were released to the press."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Court was adjourned for the weekend."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Divorce no longer requires a court appearance."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He received a court summons for non-payment of tax."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He should be tried at the International Court in the Hague."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He will appear in court tomorrow charged with the murder."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Once a lawsuit is filed, a court date is set."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She should seek damages through the civil courts."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The banks may decide to appeal to a higher court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The case should not be allowed to go to court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The case was appealed to a higher court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The case will be tried before a criminal court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The dispute was settled out of court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their neighbours took them to court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They are likely to end up in divorce court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They could now face a court battle for compensation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This is the highest court in the country."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We are prepared to go to court to get our compensation."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Law and justice", "Buildings"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["civil", "criminal", "Appeals Court"],
                "verb + court": ["go to", "take somebody/​something to", "come to"],
                "court + verb": ["hear something", "acquit somebody", "clear somebody"],
                "court + noun": ["bailiff", "clerk", "judge"],
                "preposition": ["at court", "before a/​the court", "in court"],
                "phrases": ["contempt of court", "a court of appeal", "court of claims"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the people in a court, especially those who make the decisions, such as the judge and jury",
            "sensetop": "before the court",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Please **tell the court** what happened."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **court heard** how the man collapsed after being stabbed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The **court ruled** in favour of her claim."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This is not a case to be decided by the courts."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This evidence was not put before the court.",
                    "contextForm": "before the court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Airlines could face huge compensation bills following a **court ruling** on flight delays."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company argued there was no case to answer, but the court disagreed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The company asked the court to overrule the tribunal's decision."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court acquitted Reece of the murder."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court dismissed the appeal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court held that she was entitled to receive compensation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court issued an injunction."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court sentenced him to life in prison."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court upheld the plaintiff's claim of unfair dismissal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The court was presided over by Judge Owen."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She is too young to appear before the court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We were trying to convince the court that the rules should be changed."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Will you please tell the court what happened on that morning?"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Law and justice"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["civil", "criminal", "Appeals Court"],
                "verb + court": ["go to", "take somebody/​something to", "come to"],
                "court + verb": ["hear something", "acquit somebody", "clear somebody"],
                "court + noun": ["bailiff", "clerk", "judge"],
                "preposition": ["at court", "before a/​the court", "in court"],
                "phrases": ["contempt of court", "a court of appeal", "court of claims"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a place where games such as tennis and basketball are played",
            "sensetop": "on courtoff court",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **tennis/squash/basketball court**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He won after only 52 minutes on court.",
                    "contextForm": "on court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The players are good friends off court and train together.",
                    "contextForm": "off court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Do you prefer playing tennis on grass courts or hard courts?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He hopes to repeat his success on the grass courts of Wimbledon."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was a real gentleman both on and off court and a delight to play."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Off court she is just as aggressive as she is on the court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She is a good player on hard courts."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The players have been on court for an hour."
                },
                {
                    "text": "an indoor volleyball court"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Sports: ball and racket sports"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["basketball", "squash", "tennis"],
                "preposition": ["off (the) court", "on (the) court"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "the official place where kings and queens live",
            "sensetop": "at court",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the court of Queen Victoria"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was presented to the queen at court.",
                    "contextForm": "at court"
                },
                {
                    "text": "life at the court of Charles I"
                },
                {
                    "text": "life at court"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["imperial", "royal"],
                "court + noun": ["circles", "jester"],
                "preposition": ["at (a/​the) court"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "the king or queen, their family, and the people who work for them and/or give advice to them",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The painting shows the emperor with his court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Mozart quickly became a favourite in court circles."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a member of the imperial court of Kyoto"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["imperial", "royal"],
                "court + noun": ["circles", "jester"],
                "preposition": ["at (a/​the) court"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "an open space that is partly or completely surrounded by buildings and is usually part of a castle, a large house, etc.",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "used in the names of blocks of flats or apartment buildings, or of some short streets; (in the UK) used in the names of some large houses",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The building is situated in a medieval court at the top of Edinburgh's royal mile."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "a large open section of a building, often with a glass roof",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "it is your/somebody’s responsibility to take action next",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They've offered me the job, so the ball's in my court now."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to entertain people by telling them interesting or funny things",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I met Giles holding court with some tourists in a cafe."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to completely reject an idea, a story, etc. that you think is not worth taking seriously at all",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "All his attempts at explanation were simply laughed out of court."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to treat somebody with great respect in order to gain favour with them",
            "labels": "(old-fashioned)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to say that something is completely wrong or not worth considering, especially in a trial",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The charges were thrown out of court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Well that's my theory ruled out of court."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/kɔːt/",
                "audio": "co/court/court__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/kɔːrt/",
                "audio": "co/court/court__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French cort, from Latin cohors, cohort- ‘yard or retinue’. The verb is influenced by Old Italian corteare, Old French courtoyer. Compare with cohort."
}