discourse

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Verbal expression in speech or writing.
2. n. Verbal exchange; conversation.
3. n. A formal, lengthy discussion of a subject, either written or spoken.
4. n. Archaic The process or power of reasoning.
5. v. To speak or write formally and at length. See Synonyms at speak.
6. v. To engage in conversation or discussion; converse.
7. v. Archaic To narrate or discuss.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A running over a subject in speech; hence, a communication of thoughts by words; expression of ideas; mutual intercourse; talk; conversation.
2. n. A running over in the mind of premises and deducing of conclusions; the exercise of, or an act of exercising, the logical or reasoning faculty; hence, the power of reasoning from premises; rationality.
3. n. A formal discussion or treatment of a subjeet; a dissertation, treatise, homily, sermon, or the like: as, the discourse of Plutarch on garrulity, of Cicero on old age; an eloquent discourse.
4. n. Debate; contention; strife.
5. n. Intercourse; dealing; transaction.
6. To hold discourse; communicate thoughts or ideas orally, especially in a formal manner; treat in a set manner; hold forth; expatiate; converse: as, to discourse on the properties of the circle; the preacher discoursed on the nature and effect of faith.
7. To treat of or discuss a subject in a formal manner in writing.
8. To narrate; give a relation; tell.
9. To reason; argue from premises to consequences.
10. To treat of; talk over; discuss.
11. To utter or give forth.
12. To talk or confer with.
13. n. That sort of mental operation, performed by one person or by several, in which a line of thought is followed out. In either case, it is conducted by signs which are in part general, or typical, in their own mode of being, usually ordinary language; in part diagrams or other iconic signs; and in part indices, such as individual signs representing the typical signs. A sign in functioning as such must be interpreted, or be translated into thought signs, and must be addressed to some interpreter. In the case of inward discourse, the person alternately places himself in different attitudes of mind, and addresses the self of a moment later. Discourse, in this sense, is not, like that of 2, restricted to ratiocination. G. F. Stout, Analyt. Psychol., I. 87.

Wiktionary

1. n. Verbal exchange, conversation.
2. n. Expression in words, either speech or writing.
3. n. A formal lengthy exposition of some subject, either spoken or written.
4. n. Any rational expression, reason.
5. n. An institutionalized way of thinking, a social boundary defining what can be said about a specific topic (after Michel Foucault).
6. v. To engage in discussion or conversation; to converse.
7. v. To write or speak formally and at length.
8. v. To debate.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The power of the mind to reason or infer by running, as it were, from one fact or reason to another, and deriving a conclusion; an exercise or act of this power; reasoning; range of reasoning faculty.
2. n. Conversation; talk.
3. n. The art and manner of speaking and conversing.
4. n. Consecutive speech, either written or unwritten, on a given line of thought; speech; treatise; dissertation; sermon, etc..
5. n. Dealing; transaction.
6. v. To exercise reason; to employ the mind in judging and inferring; to reason.
7. v. To express one's self in oral discourse; to expose one's views; to talk in a continuous or formal manner; to hold forth; to speak; to converse.
8. v. To relate something; to tell.
9. v. To treat of something in writing and formally.
10. v. To treat of; to expose or set forth in language.
11. v. To utter or give forth; to speak.
12. v. To talk to; to confer with.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. to consider or examine in speech or writing
2. n. extended verbal expression in speech or writing
3. v. talk at length and formally about a topic
4. n. an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
5. n. an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic
6. v. carry on a conversation