Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- v. To amuse oneself in a light, frolicsome manner.
- v. To amuse (oneself) in a light, frolicsome manner.
- v. To display.
- n. Frolicsome diversion.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- To carry away; transport; deport.
- To divert; cheer; amuse sportively or gaily: usually with a reflexive pronoun.
- To display in a gay or sportive manner; sport.
- To play; sport; indulge in gaiety.
- n. Diversion; amusement; play; sport; pastime; merriment.
Wiktionary
- v. to amuse oneself divertingly or playfully; to cavort or gambol
- v. to display ostentatiously
- n. A pastime; anything which diverts one from serious matters; a game; sport; relaxation, recreation; entertainment; amusement.
- n. Fun; gaiety; merriment; mirth; joy.
- n. Deportment; bearing; carriage.
- n. orientation; elevation; bearing.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. Play; sport; pastime; diversion; playfulness.
- v. To play; to wanton; to move in gayety; to move lightly and without restraint; to amuse one's self.
- v. To divert or amuse; to make merry.
- v. To remove from a port; to carry away.
WordNet 3.0
- v. occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
- v. play boisterously
Etymologies
- Middle English disporten, from Old French desporter, to divert : des-, apart; see dis- + porter, to carry (from Latin portāre; see port5).
Examples
““If we are to disport ourselves, we will have to make haste,” I say.”
Simon & Schuster: Secret History of Elizabeth Tudor, Vampire Slayer
“Revenge" is set in the best neighborhood in the Hamptons, or the producers' notion thereof: a place of gleaming beaches, endless blue skies, mansions where the spoiled rich disport themselves with somebody else's husband or wife.”
“The clerical staff will not disport themselves in raiment of bright colors, nor will they wear hose unless in good repair.”
“The clerical staff will not disport themselves in raiment of bright colors, nor will they wear hose unless in good repair. colors?”
“On Sunday nights from 10-11 (when I ordered my husband and children to disport themselves elsewhere) you were mine.”
The Wall Street Journal: Far From the Madding 'Mad Men' Crowd
“Far better the swift month of engagement every four years or so which forces all parties into a straitjacket of conciseness and clarity that they would surely eschew if given the luxury of a year and more in which to disport their wares ad infinitum et ad nauseam.”
“Those in Shetland and Orkney Islands who know no better, are persuaded that the seals, or silkies, as they call them, can doff their coverings at times, and disport themselves as men and women.”
“Even when they were vixens, Renaissance muses were comfortably subordinate to their artists, bound to the latter's aesthetic and sexual needs while the artists were free to disport themselves around town.”
“Such was their disport; and now Gudrun was somewhat solaced of her grief.”
“Then said Brynhild, “Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do not so; let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and their great deeds.””
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘disport’.
-
GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
-
crosswords
yen, emend, fete, gest, orlop, latria, ensilage, aria, wend, ilk, fen, espy and 9 more...
-
Duck!
If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, or quacks like a duck, then you should probably list it here.
duck, Duck, turducken, duckling, duck tape, Mallard, rubber duckie, Daffy Duck, Donald Duck, lame duck, ducky, ducks and 80 more...
-
Any port
support, deport, export, import, report, disport, rapport, teleport, transport, besport, watersport, spoilsport and 15 more...
-
jeffrey.t.whitney's list
sartorial, sabbatarian, sagacious, desiccate, ersatz, insouciant, atavistic, luddite, crwth, obdurate, stentorian, ruminate and 51 more...
-
wordplay words
anagram, alternade, punning, equivoque, paronomasia, disport, joual, marrowsky, glossopoeist, stain gloss, vrittigloss, glosszend and 4 more...
ruzuzu That broke my heart a little--in a good way. Thanks, oroboros. Jan 20, 2012
oroboros The following is related by an eminent naturalist: ‘A young lady was sitting in a room adjoining a poultry yard, where chickens, ducks and geese were disporting themselves. A drake came in, approached the lady, seized the bottom of her dress with his beak, and pulled it vigorously. Feeling startled, she repulsed him with her hand. The bird still persisted. Somewhat astonished, she paid some attention to this unaccountable pantomime, and discovered that the drake wished to drag her out of doors. She got up, and he waddled out quietly before her. More and more surprised, she followed him, and he conducted her to the side of a pond where she perceived a duck with its head caught in the opening of a sluice. She hastened to release the poor creature and restored it to the drake, who by loud quackings and beating of his wings testified his joy at the deliverance of his companion.’
– Ballou’s Monthly Magazine, May 1870 (via futilitycloset.com) Jan 20, 2012