Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

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.

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 : WordNet®

discourse
     n 1: extended verbal expression in speech or writing
     2: an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a
        church service) [syn: {sermon}, {preaching}]
     3: an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with
        some particular topic; "the book contains an excellent
        discussion of modal logic"; "his treatment of the race
        question is badly biased" [syn: {discussion}, {treatment}]
     v 1: to consider or examine in speech or writing; "The article
          covered all the different aspects of this question";
          "The class discussed Dante's `Inferno'" [syn: {talk
          about}, {discuss}]
     2: carry on a conversation [syn: {converse}]
     3: talk or hold forth formally about a topic; "The speaker
        dissertated about the social politics in 18th century
        England" [syn: {dissertate}]