Dictionary

converse en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /kənˈvɝs/ (US)
• /kənˈvɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• kənvûrs' (US)
• (UK) audio

Etymology

From Old French converser, from Latin conversor (“live, have dealings with”).

Meanings

1. (literary, uncountable) Free verbal interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat.
   • Twice ere the sun descends, with zeal inspir'd, / From the vain converse of the world retir'd, / She reads the psalms and chapters for the day […] 1727, [Edward Young], “Satire V. On Women.”, in Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In Seven Characteristical Satires, 4th edition, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson […], published 1741, →OCLC:
   • In a first-class carriage of a train speeding Balkanward across the flat, green Hungarian plain, two Britons sat in friendly, fitful converse. 1919, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Disappearance of Crispina Umerleigh”, in R[othay] R[eynolds], editor, The Toys of Peace and Other Papers. […], London: John Lane, The Bodley Head […], →OCLC:
   • She had around her gay converse, in which she had no share; and laughter, in which she was little tempted to join. 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVI, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 177:
   • [R]eturn to thy maſter, and tell him, e'er vve liquidate our differences by the ſvvord, Manfred vvould hold ſome converſe vvith him. 1764 December 24 (indicated as 1765), Onuphrio Muralto, translated by William Marshal [pseudonyms; Horace Walpole], chapter III, in The Castle of Otranto, […], London: […] Tho[mas] Lownds […], →OCLC, page 93:
   • [S]uch was the aberration of mind attending converse with a successful draper. 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 26:

converse en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /kənˈvɝs/ (US)
• /kənˈvɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• kənvûrs' (US)
• (UK) audio

Etymology

From Old French converser, from Latin conversor (“live, have dealings with”).

Meanings

1. (formal, intransitive) To talk; to engage in conversation.
   • Companions[…] That do converse and waste the time together. c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
   • We had conversed so often on that subject. 1695, C[harles] A[lphonse] du Fresnoy, translated by John Dryden, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, […], London: […] J[ohn] Heptinstall for W. Rogers, […], →OCLC:
2. (followed by with) To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune.
   • To seek the distant hills, and there converse With nature. a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Summer”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC:
   • Conversing with the world, we use the world's fashions. 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC:
   • But to converse with heaven — This is not easy. 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion:
3. (obsolete) To have knowledge of something, from long talk or study.
   • according as the objects they converse with afford greater or less variety 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

converseness · conversable · conversancy · conversation · conversible

Hypernyms

speak

Relateds

discuss

Synonyms

treat · word · convo · convo · parley · converse · discourse · confabulate · conversate · conversate · chat · discourse · jaw · confab · common

Translations (122)

ko 이야기하다 (to engage in conversation) · el συνδιαλέγομαι (to engage in conversation) · sh разгова́рати (to engage in conversation) · sk konverzovať (to engage in conversation) · sh razgovárati (to engage in conversation) · mk говори (to engage in conversation) · el συνομιλώ (to engage in conversation) · lt pasikalbėti (to engage in conversation) · tr muhabbet etmek (to engage in conversation) · ja 会話する (to engage in conversation) · es conversar (to engage in conversation) · ota قونشمق (to engage in conversation) · la fabulor (to engage in conversation) · hu társalog (to engage in conversation) · fr converser (to engage in conversation) · unm achimulsi (to engage in conversation) · ru разгова́ривать (to engage in conversation) · pl konwersować (to engage in conversation) · pl rozmawiać (to engage in conversation) · da tale (to engage in conversation) · tk söhbet etmek (to engage in conversation) · bg разгова́рям (to engage in conversation) · nb samtale (to engage in conversation) · uk розмовля́ти (to engage in conversation) · pl gwarzyć (to engage in conversation) · ktu solola (to engage in conversation) · et vestlema (to engage in conversation) · sq bisedoj (to engage in conversation) · az söhbət etmək (to engage in conversation) · cy ymddiddan (to engage in conversation) · fi keskustella (to engage in conversation) · mk зборува (to engage in conversation) · dsb rozgranjaś se (to engage in conversation) · af gesels (to engage in conversation) · he שׂוֹחֵחַ (to engage in conversation) · cs rozmlouvat (to engage in conversation) · lo ສົນທະນາ (to engage in conversation) · ro a conversa (to engage in conversation) · de sich unterhalten (to engage in conversation) · mn ярилцах (to engage in conversation) · bg бесе́двам (to engage in conversation) · uz suhbatlashmoq (to engage in conversation) · kk сөйлесу (to engage in conversation) · ga déan comhrá (to engage in conversation) · uk розмо́вити (to engage in conversation) · km សន្ទនា (to engage in conversation) · tr konuşmak (to engage in conversation) · es prosear (to engage in conversation) · eo interparoli (to engage in conversation) · de sprechen (to engage in conversation) · sk hovoriť (to engage in conversation) · th สนทนา (to engage in conversation) · tk gürleşmek (to engage in conversation) · be размаўля́ць (to engage in conversation) · lij dialogâ (to engage in conversation) · sv tala (to engage in conversation) · pt conversar (to engage in conversation) · kix thìtìe (to engage in conversation) · es tertuliar (to engage in conversation) · ug سۆھبەتلەشمەك (to engage in conversation) · it conversare (to engage in conversation) · de konversieren (to engage in conversation) · nl converseren (to engage in conversation) · ur بات کَرْنا (to engage in conversation) · cmn 通話 /通话 (to engage in conversation) · ja 話す (to engage in conversation) · lv sarunāties (to engage in conversation) · hy զրուցել (to engage in conversation) · tr sohbet etmek (to engage in conversation) · ka საუბარი (to engage in conversation) · nb snakke (to engage in conversation) · es hablar (to engage in conversation) · ky сүйлөшүү (to engage in conversation) · is tala saman (to engage in conversation) · tl makipag-usap (to engage in conversation) · eo konversacii (to engage in conversation) · ko 대화하다 (to engage in conversation) · vi đối thoại (to engage in conversation) · ru обща́ться (to engage in conversation) · de reden (to engage in conversation) · wyi toomcherring (to engage in conversation) · af gesprek voer (to engage in conversation) · ota صحبت ایتمك (to engage in conversation) · hi बात करना (to engage in conversation) · fr parler (to engage in conversation) · da konversere (to engage in conversation) · sl pogovarjati se (to engage in conversation) · ar تَحَدَّثَ (to engage in conversation) · cmn 會話 /会话 (to engage in conversation) · tr söyleşmek (to engage in conversation) · sv konversera (to engage in conversation) · kk әңгімелесу (to engage in conversation) · ru бесе́довать (to engage in conversation) · cs hovořit (to engage in conversation) · be размо́віць (to engage in conversation) · ar تَكَلَّمَ (to engage in conversation) · qu rimachiy (to engage in conversation) · mi kōrerorero (to engage in conversation) · ktu kusolola (to engage in conversation) · ja 談話する (to engage in conversation) · mn ярих (to engage in conversation) · la sermōcinor (to engage in conversation) · cmn 談話 /谈话 (to engage in conversation) · la colloquor (to engage in conversation) · mi kōwetewete (to engage in conversation) · tg сухбат кардан (to engage in conversation) · pt falar (to engage in conversation) · is spjalla (to engage in conversation) · shn ဢုပ်ႇဢူဝ်း (to engage in conversation) · grc διαλέγομαι ἔντευξις ποιῶ (to engage in conversation) · ky аңгемелешүү (to engage in conversation) · it parlare (to engage in conversation) · cmn 交談 /交谈 (to engage in conversation) · ka ბაასი (to engage in conversation) · ta உரையாடு (to engage in conversation) · ro a vorbi (to engage in conversation) · fa-ira صُحْبَت کَرْدَن (to engage in conversation) · qu yawnay (to engage in conversation) · nl spreken (to engage in conversation) · cs konverzovat (to engage in conversation) · et suhtlema (to engage in conversation) · az qonuşmaq (to engage in conversation)

converse en · ADJ · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɒnvɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈkɑnvɝs/ (US)
• kŏn'vûrs (US)

Etymology

From Latin conversus (“turned around”), past participle of converto (“turn about”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Opposite; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal.
   • a converse proposition

converse en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɒnvɜːs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈkɑnvɝs/ (US)
• kŏn'vûrs (US)

Etymology

From Latin conversus (“turned around”), past participle of converto (“turn about”).

Meanings

1. The opposite or reverse.
2. Of a proposition or theorem consisting of a statement of the form "If A is true, then B is true", the statement "If B is true, then A is true" which need not be equivalent to the first one.
   • All trout are fish, but the converse, that all fish are trout, is not true.
3. One of a pair of terms that name or describe a relationship from opposite perspectives; converse antonym; relational antonym.
4. Synonym of transpose.

Forms

Deriveds

conversely

Synonyms

transpose

Translations (30)

oc reciproca (proposition of the specific form) · es contrario (opposite) · fi käänteislause (proposition of the specific form) · fr réciproque (proposition of the specific form) · de Umkehrung (opposite) · nl tegenovergestelde (opposite) · fi päinvastainen (opposite) · es sentido inverso (proposition of the specific form) · pt recíproca (proposition of the specific form) · es revés (opposite) · oc envèrs (opposite) · af teenoorgestelde (opposite) · ru противоположность (opposite) · fr inverse (opposite) · de Gegenteil (opposite) · de Gegenschluss (proposition of the specific form) · fr opposé (opposite) · fi käänteinen lause (proposition of the specific form) · bg обра́тна теоре́ма (proposition of the specific form) · de Umkehrung (proposition of the specific form) · es recíproca (proposition of the specific form) · ko 반대 (opposite) · oc invèrs (opposite) · fi käänteinen väite (proposition of the specific form) · ko 역 (proposition of the specific form) · de Umkehrschluss (proposition of the specific form) · bg обра́тно (opposite) · is andhverfing (proposition of the specific form) · es inversa (proposition of the specific form) · de Gegenteil (proposition of the specific form)