recourse

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: re=course

CIDE DICTIONARY

recourse, n. [F. recours, L. recursus a running back, return, fr. recurrere, recursum, to run back. See Recur.].

•  A coursing back, or coursing again, along the line of a previous coursing; renewed course; return; retreat; recurence.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

  "Unto my first I will have my recourse."  [1913 Webster]

  "Preventive physic . . . preventeth sickness in the healthy, or the recourse thereof in the valetudinary."  [1913 Webster]
•  Recurrence in difficulty, perplexity, need, or the like; access or application for aid; resort.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thus died this great peer, in a time of great recourse unto him and dependence upon him."  [1913 Webster]

  "Our last recourse is therefore to our art."  [1913 Webster]
•  Access; admittance.  [1913 Webster]

  "Give me recourse to him."  [1913 Webster]

Without recourse (Commerce), words sometimes added to the indorsement of a negotiable instrument to protect the indorser from liability to the indorsee and subsequent holders. It is a restricted indorsement.

recourse, v. i. 

•  To return; to recur.  [1913 Webster]

  "The flame departing and recoursing."  [1913 Webster]
•  To have recourse; to resort.  Bp. Hacket.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

recourse, n.
1 resorting to a possible source of help.
2 a person or thing resorted to.

Idiom

have recourse to turn to (a person or thing) for help. without recourse a formula used by the endorser of a bill etc. to disclaim responsibility for payment.

Etymology

ME f. OF recours f. L recursus (as RE-, COURSE)

THESAURUS

recourse

ability, access, admittance, agency, alternative, availability, backup, capacity, capital, dernier ressort, device, devices, disposable resources, entree, expediency, expedient, funds, going between, hope, instrumentality, intermediation, last resort, machinery, makeshift, means, mechanism, mediation, method, pis aller, power, recourses, refuge, remedy, reserve, resort, resorts, resource, resources, service, shift, stock, stopgap, substitute, supply, ways, ways and means, wherewith, wherewithal

ROGET THESAURUS

recourse

Use

N use, employ, employment, exercise, exercitation, application, appliance, adhibition, disposal, consumption, agency, usufruct, usefulness, benefit, recourse, resort, avail, utilization, service, wear, usage, in use, used, well-worn, well-trodden, useful, subservient.