resort

views updated Jun 08 2018

re·sort / riˈzôrt/ • n. 1. a place that is a popular destination for vacations or recreation, or which is frequented for a particular purpose: a seaside resort a health resort. ∎ archaic the tendency of a place to be frequented by many people: places of public resort.2. the action of turning to and adopting a strategy or course of action, esp. a disagreeable or undesirable one, so as to resolve a difficult situation: Germany and Italy tried to resolve their economic and social failures by resort to fascism. ∎  [in sing.] a strategy or course of action that may be adopted in a difficult situation: her only resort is surgery.• v. [intr.] (resort to) 1. turn to and adopt (a strategy or course of action, esp. a disagreeable or undesirable one) so as to resolve a difficult situation: the duke was prepared to resort to force if negotiation failed.2. formal go often or in large numbers to: local authorities have a duty to provide adequate sites for gypsies “residing in or resorting to” their areas.PHRASES: as a first (or last or final) resort before anything else is attempted (or when all else has failed).in the last resort ultimately: in the last resort what really moves us is our personal convictions.DERIVATIVES: re·sort·er n.

resort

views updated Jun 11 2018

resort †return, revert XIV; betake oneself, repair or proceed to XV. — (O)F. resortir (mod. ressortir), f. RE- + sortir go out, of unkn. orig.
So sb. XIV. — (O)F. ressort.

Resort

views updated Jun 08 2018

Resort

people who resort or go together to a place. See also concourse.

Examples : resort of ladies and damoyles, 1470; of learned men, 1817; of men of talents, 1806; of abundance of merchants, 1630; of politicians, 1768; of swordsmen, 1768.

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