Standard Lemma guide

recourse

noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: rĭkôsʹ
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈkɔːs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: rēʹkôrs
  • General-American: /ˈɹiːkɔɹs/
  • rikōrsʹ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • rēʹkōrs rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • /ɹɪˈko(ː)ɹs/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • /ˈɹiːko(ː)ɹs/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • /ɹɪˈkoəs/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • /ˈɹiːkoəs/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
  • rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)s
  • CMU ARPABET: R IY1 K AO0 R S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of seeking assistance or advice.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The use of (someone or something) as a source of help in a difficult situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Qualifier: recourse to

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A coursing back, or coursing again; renewed course; return; retreat; recurrence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Access; admittance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To return; to recur.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To have recourse; to resort.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To recurse (execute a procedure recursively).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

act of turning to for assistance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • have recourse to the courts
  • an appeal to his uncle was his last resort

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: resort, refuge

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: aid, assist, assistance, help

9

noun

Meaning 9

something or someone turned to for assistance or security

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his only recourse was the police
  • took refuge in lying

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: refuge, resort

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: resource

Narrower terms: shadow

History

Etymology

From Middle English recours (noun) and recoursen (verb), from Old French recours, from Latin recursus, past participle of recurrō.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: toevlucht — act of seeking assistance or advice
  • Finnish: turvautuminen — act of seeking assistance or advice
  • French: récursoire — act of seeking assistance or advice
  • Russian: обраще́ние (obraščénije) — act of seeking assistance or advice
  • Spanish: recurso — act of seeking assistance or advice
  • Swedish: tillflykt — act of seeking assistance or advice
  • Spanish: recurso — use of someone or something as a source of help