[f. COURT sb.1 + -SHIP.]
† 1. Behavior or action befitting a court or courtier; courtliness of manners. Obs.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 363. Trim gallants, full of Courtship and of state.
1601. Weever, Mirr. Mart., A vj b. For valour, wit, and court-ship, few came nie me.
1627–77. Feltham, Resolves, I. xcv. 148. A man may look in vain for Courtship in a Plowman; or Learning in a Mechanic.
1673. [R. Leigh], Transp. Reh., 79. How one of his private condition and breeding could arrive to this degree of court-ship.
† b. Courteous behavior; courtesy. Obs.
a. 1640. Massinger, Very Woman, I. i. Grant this, Which a mere stranger, in the way of courtship, Might challenge from you.
1665. J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 113. This Doctor might have had so much Courtship, or common Civility at least.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, IV. 175. His Honour next day in Courtship exceeding, Return’d a smart Speech, to shew ’em his Breeding.
† c. with pl. Obs.
1631. May, trans. Barclay’s Mirr. Mindes, I. 211. Besides other elegancies and courtships which the customes of the age doe teach them.
1655. Theophania, 36. He was so unaccustomed to such Courtships, that he knew not what reply to make to his civil expressions.
† 2. The state befitting a court or courtier. Obs.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. iii. 34. More Validitie … more Courtship.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 362. He liveth in better fashion of Courtship, than the other Princes.
† 3. Office or position at court; position as a courtier, courtiership. Obs.
a. 1635. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 29. We take him now as he was admitted into the Court, and the Queens favour…. Hitherto I have only touched him in his Courtship; I conclude him in his lance.
1658–9. Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 62. I never had any office, nor any of my relations. I have no courtship.
† 4. Practice of the arts of a courtier; court-craft; diplomacy, flattery, etc. Obs.
[1592. Nashe, P. Penilesse (ed. 2), 12 a. The Frenchman … is whollie compact of deceiuable courtship.]
1625. in Rushw., Hist. Coll. (1659), I. 219. Courtship, Flattery and Pretence become not Kings Counsellors.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VIII. i. § 6.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 320. What-ever others out of fear or Courtship might call them.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), III. 362. Who will think of rising by any means but courtship or corruption?
† 5. The paying of court or courteous attentions; esp. the paying of ceremonial or complimentary acts of courtesy to (a dignitary). Obs.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iv. 24. Heere Bagot and Greene Obseru’d his Courtship to the common people … What reuerence he did throw away on slaues.
1638. Ford, Fancies, Ded. A practice of courtship to greatness.
1641. Milton, Reform., II. (1851), 58. The Magistrate … is to bee honour’d with a more elaborate and personall Courtship.
1729. Swift, To Dr. Delany. Who paid his courtship with the croud As far as modest pride allow’d.
† b. with a and pl. Obs.
c. 1611. Chapman, Iliad, XV. 66. She all their courtships ouerpast, with solemne negligence.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, I. 8. He … cannot imagine God … pleased with … superficial courtships of ceremonious address.
6. The action or process of paying court to a woman with a view to marriage; courting, wooing.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. viii. 44. Be merry, and imploy your chiefest thoughts To courtship, and such faire ostents of loue.
1676. D’Urfey, Mad. Fickle, IV. i. Follow me, and I’ll place you, where you shall, unseen, hear all their Courtship.
1682. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), I. 236. Pretending courtship, as is said, to the lady Ann.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 261, ¶ 3. The pleasantest Part of Man’s Life is generally that which passes in Courtship.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., xiv. A newly-married couple who had visited Mr. and Mrs. Kenwigs in their courtship.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. v. 304. A like piece of vigorous courtship is the one act of energy recorded of one of Æthelred’s descendants, James.
with a and pl.:—1713. Steele, Englishman, No. 9. 57. The Conversation of a Courtship is more pleasing than ordinary Discourse.
Mod. The comparative advantages of long and short courtships.
b. transf. of animals and plants.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), VI. 26. Every meadow and marsh resounds with their [birds’] different calls, to courtship or to food.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., I. 614. Not Darwin’s self had more delight to sing Of floral courtship, in th’ awaken’d spring.
1874. J. Sully, Sensation & Intuition, 7. Deep sexual emotion built up during the courtships of unnumbered species.
c. fig.
1635. Cowley, Davideis, II. 60. Why does that twining plant the Oak embrace? The Oak for courtship most of all unfit.
1856. Grindon, Life, v. (1875), 51. The plainest face improves under the courtship of the summer breezes.
7. fig. The action of courting, soliciting or enticing; endeavor to win over or gain.
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. iii. (1840), 86. The first attack the Devil made upon our Mother Eve we have had fully described…. Mr. Milton has given us the particulars as distinctly … as if he had … heard the courtship, and how cunningly the Devil managed.
1816. Byron, Siege Cor., xiii. In vain from side to side he throws His form, in courtship of repose.
1824. Westm. Rev., I. 454. Wallachia and Turkish Moldavia are open to Austrian courtship.
