A course is a series of lessons or lectures on a particular subject. It usually includes reading and written work that a student has to do. You say that someone takes a course or does a course in a subject.
Be Careful!
Don't say that someone takes a course 'of' a subject.
In British English, the people who are taking a course are referred to as the people on the course.
In American English, they are also referred to as the people in the course.
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Noun | 1. | course - education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings; "he took a course in basket weaving"; "flirting is not unknown in college classes" didactics, education, educational activity, instruction, pedagogy, teaching - the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill; "he received no formal education"; "our instruction was carefully programmed"; "good classroom teaching is seldom rewarded" coursework - work assigned to and done by a student during a course of study; usually it is evaluated as part of the student's grade in the course adult education - a course (via lectures or correspondence) for adults who are not otherwise engaged in formal study art class - a class in which you learn to draw or paint childbirth-preparation class - a course that teaches pregnant women to use breathing and concentration and exercise techniques to use during labor lesson - a unit of instruction; "he took driving lessons" correspondence course - a course offered (by mail) by a correspondence school course of lectures - a series of lectures dealing with a subject directed study - a course of study that is supervised and controlled by a specialist in the subject; "he registered for directed study"; "he got credit for directed study"; "he did directed study" elective, elective course - a course that the student can select from among alternatives extension course - a course offered as part of an extension service home study - a course of study carried out at home rather than in a classroom industrial arts - a course in the methods of using tools and machinery as taught in secondary schools and technical schools orientation course, orientation - a course introducing a new situation or environment propaedeutic, propaedeutics - a course that provides an introduction to an art or science (or to more advanced study generally) refresher course, refresher - a course that reviews and updates a topic for those who have not kept abreast of developments required course - a course that all students are required to take seminar - a course offered for a small group of advanced students shop class, shop - a course of instruction in a trade (as carpentry or electricity); "I built a birdhouse in shop" workshop - a brief intensive course for a small group; emphasizes problem solving class period, course session, recitation - a regularly scheduled session as part of a course of study |
2. | course - a connected series of events or actions or developments; "the government took a firm course"; "historians can only point out those lines for which evidence is available" series - similar things placed in order or happening one after another; "they were investigating a series of bank robberies" | |
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4. | course - a mode of action; "if you persist in that course you will surely fail"; "once a nation is embarked on a course of action it becomes extremely difficult for any retraction to take place" action - something done (usually as opposed to something said); "there were stories of murders and other unnatural actions" blind alley - (figurative) a course of action that is unproductive and offers no hope of improvement; "all the clues led the police into blind alleys"; "so far every road that we've been down has turned out to be a blind alley" collision course - a course of action (following a given idea) that will lead to conflict if it continues unabated path, way of life, way - a course of conduct; "the path of virtue"; "we went our separate ways"; "our paths in life led us apart"; "genius usually follows a revolutionary path" | |
5. | ![]() line - a spatial location defined by a real or imaginary unidimensional extent collision course - a course of a moving object that will lead to a collision if it continues unchanged inside track - the inner side of a curved racecourse round - the course along which communications spread; "the story is going the rounds in Washington" steps - the course along which a person has walked or is walking in; "I followed in his steps"; "he retraced his steps"; "his steps turned toward home" trail - a track or mark left by something that has passed; "there as a trail of blood"; "a tear left its trail on her cheek" | |
6. | ![]() assemblage, gathering - a group of persons together in one place master class - a class (especially in music) given to talented students by an expert discussion section, section - a small class of students who are part of a larger course but are taught separately; "a graduate student taught sections for the professor's lecture course" | |
7. | course - part of a meal served at one time; "she prepared a three course meal" aliment, alimentation, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, victuals, nutrition - a source of materials to nourish the body entree, main course - the principal dish of a meal | |
8. | course - (construction) a layer of masonry; "a course of bricks" damp course, damp-proof course - a course of some impermeable material laid in the foundation walls of building near the ground to prevent dampness from rising into the building layer, bed - single thickness of usually some homogeneous substance; "slices of hard-boiled egg on a bed of spinach" row of bricks - a course of bricks place next to each other (usually in a straight line) wall - an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure; "the south wall had a small window"; "the walls were covered with pictures" | |
9. | course - facility consisting of a circumscribed area of land or water laid out for a sport; "the course had only nine holes"; "the course was less than a mile" facility, installation - a building or place that provides a particular service or is used for a particular industry; "the assembly plant is an enormous facility" golf course, links course - course consisting of a large landscaped area for playing golf | |
Verb | 1. | course - move swiftly through or over; "ships coursing the Atlantic" cross, cut across, cut through, get over, traverse, pass over, get across, track, cover - travel across or pass over; "The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day" |
2. | course - move along, of liquids; "Water flowed into the cave"; "the Missouri feeds into the Mississippi" flush - flow freely; "The garbage flushed down the river" jet, gush - issue in a jet; come out in a jet; stream or spring forth; "Water jetted forth"; "flames were jetting out of the building" move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" circulate - move through a space, circuit or system, returning to the starting point; "Blood circulates in my veins"; "The air here does not circulate" run down - move downward; "The water ran down" pour - flow in a spurt; "Water poured all over the floor" spill, run out - flow, run or fall out and become lost; "The milk spilled across the floor"; "The wine spilled onto the table" dribble, trickle, filter - run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream; "water trickled onto the lawn from the broken hose"; "reports began to dribble in" gutter - flow in small streams; "Tears guttered down her face" | |
3. | course - hunt with hounds; "He often courses hares" game - a contest with rules to determine a winner; "you need four people to play this game" hunt, hunt down, track down, run - pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals); "Goering often hunted wild boars in Poland"; "The dogs are running deer"; "The Duke hunted in these woods" | |
Adv. | 1. | course - as might be expected; "naturally, the lawyer sent us a huge bill" |