converse

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kənˈvɜːs/
• (US) enPR: kənvûrs', IPA^(key): /kənˈvɝs/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)s

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

converse (third-person singular simple present converses, present participle conversing, simple past and past participle conversed)

1. (formal, intransitive) To talk; to engage in conversation.

   Synonyms: (nonstandard) conversate, (informal) convo, (formal) discourse

   • 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 Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     Companions […]
     That do converse and waste the time together.

   • 1695, C A du Fresnoy, translated by John Dryden, De Arte Graphica. The Art of Painting, , London: J Heptinstall for W. Rogers, , →OCLC:

     We had conversed so often on that subject.

2. (followed by with) To keep company; to hold intimate intercourse; to commune.
   • a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Summer”, in The Seasons, London: A Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, , published 1768, →OCLC:

     To seek the distant hills, and there converse
     With nature.

   • 1814, William Wordsworth, The Excursion:

     But to converse with heaven — This is not easy.

   • 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:

     Conversing with the world, we use the world's fashions.

3. (obsolete) To have knowledge of something, from long talk or study.
   • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. , London: Eliz Holt, for Thomas Basset, , →OCLC:

     according as the objects they converse with afford greater or less variety

converse (uncountable)

2. (now literary) Free verbal interchange of thoughts or views; conversation; chat.
   • 1727, [Edward Young], “Satire V. On Women.”, in Love of Fame, the Universal Passion. In Seven Characteristical Satires, 4th edition, London: J and R Tonson , published 1741, →OCLC:

     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 […]

   • 1764 December 24 (indicated as 1765), Onuphrio Muralto, translated by William Marshal [pseudonyms; Horace Walpole], chapter III, in The Castle of Otranto, , London: Tho Lownds , →OCLC, page 93:

     eturn to thy maſter, and tell him, e'er vve liquidate our differences by the ſvvord, Manfred vvould hold ſome converſe vvith him.

   • 1834, L E L, chapter XVI, in Francesca Carrara. , volume I, London: Richard Bentley, , (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 177:

     She had around her gay converse, in which she had no share; and laughter, in which she was little tempted to join.

   • 1919, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Disappearance of Crispina Umerleigh”, in R R, editor, The Toys of Peace and Other Papers. , London: John Lane, The Bodley Head , →OCLC:

     In a first-class carriage of a train speeding Balkanward across the flat, green Hungarian plain, two Britons sat in friendly, fitful converse.

   • 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 26:

     uch was the aberration of mind attending converse with a successful draper.

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

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒnvɜːs/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) enPR: kŏn'vûrs, IPA^(key): /ˈkɑnvɝs/

converse (not comparable)

1. Opposite; reversed in order or relation; reciprocal.

   a converse proposition

converse (plural converses)

1. The opposite or reverse.
2. (logic) 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.

4. (semantics) One of a pair of terms that name or describe a relationship from opposite perspectives; converse antonym; relational antonym.
5. (graph theory) Synonym of transpose

• conversely

• Cervones, conserve, coveners, encovers

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  (file)

converse f sg

1. feminine singular of convers

converse

1. inflection of converser:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

converse

1. inflection of conversar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

• convergé (rare)

converse

1. third-person singular past historic of convergere

• conserve, scernevo

converse

1. vocative masculine singular of conversus

converse

1. inflection of conversar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

• IPA^(key): /komˈbeɾse/
• Rhymes: -eɾse
• Syllabification: con‧ver‧se

converse

1. inflection of conversar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative