Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - course

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French curs, ~, from Latin cursus, from currere to run — more at car  Date: 14th century  1. the act or action of moving in a path from point to point  2. the path over which something moves or extends: as  a. race~  b.  (1) the direction of travel of a vehicle (as a ship or airplane) usually measured as a clockwise angle from north; also the projected path of travel  (2) a point of the compass  c. water~  d. golf ~  3.  a. accustomed procedure or normal action the law taking its ~  b. a chosen manner of conducting oneself ; way of acting our wisest ~ is to retreat  c.  (1) progression through a development or period or a series of acts or events  (2) life history, career  4. an ordered process or succession: as  a. a number of lectures or other matter dealing with a subject; also a series of such ~s constituting a curriculum a premed ~  b. a series of doses or medications administered over a designated period  5.  a. a part of a meal served at one time the main ~  b. layer; especially a continuous level range of brick or masonry throughout a wall  c. the lowest sail on a square-rigged mast  II. verb  (~d; coursing)  Date: 15th century  transitive verb  1. to follow close upon ; pursue  2.  a. to hunt or pursue (game) with hounds  b. to cause (dogs) to run (as after game)  3. to run or move swiftly through or over ; traverse jets ~d the area daily  intransitive verb to run or pass rapidly along or as if along an indicated path blood coursing through the veins