take someone to court Definition

court
noun

1. The judge, law officials and members of the jury gathered to hear and decide on a legal case.

Thesaurus: tribunal, bench, magistrate, bar, session.
2. The room or building used for such a hearing.
3. An area marked out for a particular game or sport, or a division of this.

Example: basketball court
4. An open space or square surrounded by houses or by sections of a building.

Thesaurus: patio, square, quadrangle, plaza, piazza.
5a. Used in names: a group of houses arranged around an open space;

Form: Court (often)
5b. Used in names: a block of flats;

Form: Court (often)
5c. Used in names: a country mansion.

Form: Court (often)
6. The palace, household, attendants, and advisers of a sovereign.

verb courted, courting

tr & intr
1. old use
To try to win the love of someone.
Thesaurus: woo, entice, attract, flirt, pursue, follow, make time with, chase, date.
2. To try to win the favour of someone.

Thesaurus: flatter, please, grovel before, fawn on, kowtow to, ingratiate oneself with, toady to, pander to, praise, supplicate.
3. To seek (popularity, etc).
4. To risk or invite.

Example: court danger
Thesaurus: tempt, lure, provoke, incite.

Idiom: the ball is in his court (the ball is in your etc court)

He, you etc must make the next move.

Idiom: go to court

To take legal action.

Idiom: hold court

To be surrounded by a circle of admirers.

Idiom: out of court

Without legal action being taken.

Idiom: pay court to someone

To pay them flattering attention.

Idiom: put something out of court (rule something out of court)

To prevent it from being heard or considered.

Idiom: take someone to court

To bring a legal case against them.

Etymology: 12c: from French cort, from Latin cohors, shortened to cors yard or company of soldiers.