verse
verb
- make familiar
noun
- single metrical line in a poetic composition
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈvɝs/ / /ˈvɜːs/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English vers, from a mixture of Old English fers and Old French vers; both from Latin versus (“a line in writing, and in poetry a verse; (originally) row, furrow”), from vertō (“to turn around”).
- A poetic form with regular meter and a fixed rhyme scheme.
“Restoration literature is well known for its carefully constructed verse.”
- Poetic form in general.
“The restrictions of verse have steadily been relaxed over time.”
- One of several similar units of a song, consisting of several lines, generally rhymed.
“Note the shift in tone between the first verse and the second.”
- A small section of a holy book (Bible, Quran etc.)
- A portion of an anthem to be performed by a single voice to each part.
verb
Etymology: Back-formation from versus, misconstrued as a third-person singular verb verses.
- To oppose, to compete against.
“When teams play now they "verse" each other. "Who did you verse?" (Forget "whom". It's long dead.) "We're versing you next." Pity the Latin scholar who might feel the loss of "versus" more keenly than many.”
“If you've got Onslaught let me know and I'll verse you.”