disport

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To amuse oneself divertingly or playfully; in particular, to cavort or gambol.
noun
  1. Anything which diverts one from serious matters; a game, a pastime, a sport.
  2. Amusement, entertainment, recreation, relaxation.
  3. The way one carries oneself; bearing, carriage, deportment.
  4. Bearing, elevation, orientation.
  5. Fun, gaiety, joy, merriment, mirth.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈspɔːt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-disport.wav /dəˈspɔɹt/

Word forms

disport disports disporting disported no-table-tags glossary disportest disportedst disporteth

Etymology

The verb is derived from Middle English disporten, desporten (“to take part in entertainment, sport, etc., to pass time, amuse oneself, be merry; to amuse, entertain; to cheer, console; to behave (in a particular way), deport; to be active, to busy; to relieve (someone of a task); to prevent (someone from attending)”), from Anglo-Norman desporter, Old French desporter, deporter, depporter (“to amuse, entertain; to pass time, amuse oneself; to forbear; to stop”), from Latin deportāre, present active infinitive of dēportō (“to bring, convey; to bring or take home; to carry along or down; to banish, transport”), from dē- (prefix meaning ‘from, off’) + portō (“to bear, carry; to bring, convey”) (from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to carry forth; fare”)). The English word is a doublet of deport and sport. The noun is derived from Middle English disport, desport (“activity providing amusement, pleasure or relaxation; entertainment, recreation; game, pastime, sport; pleasure derived from an activity; source of comfort; consolation, solace; conduct, deportment; customary behaviour, manner; act, activity; departure”), from Anglo-Norman disport, Old French desport, deport (“game, pastime, sport; pleasure, recreation; disport”), from desporter: see further above.

Derived words

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.