Discourse \Dis*course"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Discoursed; p. pr. & vb. n. Discoursing.]

1. To exercise reason; to employ the mind in judging and inferring; to reason. [Obs.]

``Have sense or can discourse.'' --Dryden.

2. 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.

Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear. --Shak.

3. To relate something; to tell. --Shak.

4. To treat of something in writing and formally.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Discourse \Dis*course"\, n. [L. discursus a running to and fro, discourse, fr. discurrere, discursum, to run to and fro, to discourse; dis- + currere to run: cf. F. discours. See Course.]

1. 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. [Obs.]

Difficult, strange, and harsh to the discourses of natural reason. --South.

Sure he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. --Shak.

2. Conversation; talk.

In their discourses after supper. --Shak.

Filling the head with variety of thoughts, and the mouth with copious discourse. --Locke.

3. The art and manner of speaking and conversing.

Of excellent breeding, admirable discourse. --Shak.

4. Consecutive speech, either written or unwritten, on a given line of thought; speech; treatise; dissertation; sermon, etc.; as, the preacher gave us a long discourse on duty.

5. Dealing; transaction. [Obs.]

Good Captain Bessus, tell us the discourse Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how We got the victory. --Beau. & Fl.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Discourse \Dis*course"\, v. t.

1. To treat of; to expose or set forth in language. [Obs.]

The life of William Tyndale . . . is sufficiently and at large discoursed in the book. --Foxe.

2. To utter or give forth; to speak.

It will discourse most eloquent music. --Shak.

3. To talk to; to confer with. [Obs.]

I have spoken to my brother, who is the patron, to discourse the minister about it. --Evelyn.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)