COURTESY

courtesy

(noun) a courteous or respectful or considerate act

courtesy, good manners

(noun) a courteous manner

courtesy

(noun) a courteous or respectful or considerate remark

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

courtesy (countable and uncountable, plural courtesies)

(uncountable) Polite behavior.

(countable) A polite gesture or remark, especially as opposed to an obligation or standard practice.

(uncountable) Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence.

(uncountable) Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.

A curtsey.

(legal) The life interest that the surviving husband has in the real or heritable estate of his wife.

Verb

courtesy (third-person singular simple present courtesies, present participle courtesying, simple past and past participle courtesied)

Alternative form of curtsey

Adjective

courtesy (not comparable) (used only before the noun)

Given or done as a polite gesture.

Supplied free of charge.

Synonyms: complimentary, free of charge, gratis

Anagrams

• cosurety, courtsey

Source: Wiktionary

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Cour"te*sy (kr"t-s), n.; pl. Courtesies (-s. Etym: [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 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 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. Shak.

3. Favor or indulgence, as distinguished from right; as, a title given one by courtesy. Courtesy title, a title assumed by a person, or popularly conceded to him, to which he has no valid claim; as, the courtesy title of Lord prefixed to the names of the younger sons of noblemen.

Syn.

– Politiness; urbanity; civility; complaisance; affability; courteousness; elegance; refinement; courtliness; good breeding. See Politeness.

Courte"sy (krt"s), n. Etym: [See the preceding word.]

Definition: An act of civility, respect, or reverence, made by women, consisting of a slight depression or dropping of the body, with bending of the kness. [Written also curtsy.] The lady drops a courtesy in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual. Golgsmith.

Courte"sy, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Courtesied (-sd);; p. pr. & vb. n. Courtesyng.]

Definition: 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, v. t.

Definition: To treat with civility. [Obs.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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