converse

¹

[ verb kuhn-vurs; noun kon-vurs ]

verb (used without object)

, con·versed, con·vers·ing.

1. to talk informally with another or others; exchange views, opinions, etc., by talking.

   Synonyms: gab, talk, confer, chat, jaw

2. Archaic. to maintain a familiar association (usually followed by with ).
3. Obsolete. to have sexual intercourse (usually followed by with ).

noun

1. familiar discourse or talk; conversation.

converse

²

[ adjective kuhn-vurs, kon-vurs; noun kon-vurs ]

adjective

1. opposite or contrary in direction, action, sequence, etc.; turned around.

noun

1. something opposite or contrary.
2. Logic.
   1. a proposition obtained from another proposition by conversion.
   2. the relation between two terms, one of which is related to the other in a given manner, as “younger than” to “older than.”
3. a group of words correlative with a preceding group but having a significant pair of terms interchanged, as “hot in winter but cold in summer” and “cold in winter but hot in summer.”

Converse

³

[ kon-vurs ]

noun

1. Frederick Shep·herd [shep, -erd], 1871–1940, U.S. composer.

converse

¹

/ ˈkɒnvɜːs /

adjective

1. prenominal reversed; opposite; contrary

noun

1. something that is opposite or contrary
2. logic
   1. a categorical proposition obtained from another by the transposition of subject and predicate, as no bad man is bald from no bald man is bad
   2. a proposition so derived, possibly by weakening a universal proposition to the corresponding particular, as some socialists are rich from all rich men are socialists
3. logic maths a relation that holds between two relata only when a given relation holds between them in reverse order: thus father of is the converse of son of

converse

²

verb

1. to engage in conversation (with)
2. to commune spiritually (with)
3. obsolete.
   1. to associate; consort
   2. to have sexual intercourse

noun

1. conversation (often in the phrase hold converse with )
2. obsolete.
   1. fellowship or acquaintance
   2. sexual intercourse

Derived Forms

• conˈverser, noun

Other Words From

• con·verser noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of converse¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English conversen, from Middle French converser, from Latin conversārī “to associate with”; con-, verse

Origin of converse²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English convers, from Anglo-French or directly from Latin conversus, past participle of convertere “to turn around,” equivalent to con- “with, together” + vert- “to turn” + -tus past participle suffix; convert ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of converse¹

C16: from Latin conversus turned around; see converse ¹

Origin of converse²

C16: from Old French converser, from Latin conversārī to keep company with, from conversāre to turn constantly, from vertere to turn

Synonym Study

See speak.

Example Sentences

Night Games will be home to academic experiments — “Sync.Live” — as well as games that ask us to converse and work together via a seesaw, such as the pirate-themed “Back Off Me Booty.”

From Los Angeles Times

Inspired by his dedication to sustainability and upcycling, Romanelli’s numerous collaborations with Converse, Levis, Coca-Cola and Disney have straddled the design, music, art, food and fashion disciplines.

From Los Angeles Times

Guides are encouraged to converse as much as possible with their athletes and, if possible, train with them on additional days at locations that are convenient to them both.

From Los Angeles Times

Ms Cunningham, 31, was last seen at about 03:00 GMT on Jamestown Road in Camden wearing a black vest top, skirt and Converse trainers.

From BBC

Angelica: You have to wear your Converse.

From Los Angeles Times