intercourse

From Old French entrecours, from Late Latin intercursus.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɪn.tɚˌkɔɹs/, /ˈɪn.tɚˌkoɹs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɪn.təˌkɔːs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

intercourse (countable and uncountable, plural intercourses)

1. Communication, conversation.
   • 1604 (first performance), George Chapman, Al Fooles: A Comedy, […], London: […] [George Eld] for Thomas Thorpe, published 1605, →OCLC, Act II, signature [D4], verso:

     Yet do I vnderſtand your darkeſt language, / Your treads ath'toe, your ſecret iogges and vvringes: / Your entercourſe of glaunces: euery tittle / Of your cloſe Amorous rites I vnderſtand, / They ſpeake as loud to mee, as if you ſaid, / My deareſt Dariotto, I am thine.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     this sweet intercourse of looks and smiles

   • 1906, Edward Suddard, chapter 4, in The Technique of the Modern Orchestra‎, translation of Technique de l'orchestre moderne by Charles-Marie Widor, page 139:

     And indeed, what more reliable authority could Berlioz have found than Cavaillé-Coll, with whom he had frequent intercourse, and who would have been better qualified than any one else to give him correct information?

   • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.

   • 1952 May, George Santayana, “I Like to Be a Stranger”, in The Atlantic‎:

     It might seem that with age places gained upon persons in interest to my mind; and that my pleasure grew in intercourse with things rather than with ideas.

2. Dealings between countries.
3. Dealings with people, including commerce and trade.
4. Sexual intercourse usually involving humans.

• See also Thesaurus:copulation.

• outercourse

intercourse (third-person singular simple present intercourses, present participle intercoursing, simple past and past participle intercoursed)

1. (nonstandard, intransitive) To have sexual intercourse.

• fornicate, have sex, make love; see also Thesaurus:copulate

• intersource