Noun

(uncountable, archaic) Verbal exchange, conversation.

* 1847 , , (Jane Eyre), Chapter XVIII

Two or three of the gentlemen sat near him, and I caught at times scraps of their conversation across the room. At first I could not make much sense of what I heard; for the discourse of Louisa Eshton and Mary Ingram, who sat nearer to me, confused the fragmentary sentences that reached me at intervals.

(uncountable) Expression in words, either speech or writing.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03

, author= , title=Pixels or Perish , volume=100, issue=2, page=106 , magazine= citation , passage=Drawings and pictures are more than mere ornaments in scientific discourse . Blackboard sketches, geological maps, diagrams of molecular structure, astronomical photographs, MRI images, the many varieties of statistical charts and graphs: These pictorial devices are indispensable tools for presenting evidence, for explaining a theory, for telling a story.}}

(countable) A formal lengthy exposition of some subject, either spoken or written.

The preacher gave us a long discourse on duty.

(countable) Any rational expression, reason.

* South

difficult, strange, and harsh to the discourses of natural reason

* Shakespeare

Sure he that made us with such large discourse , / Looking before and after, gave us not / That capability and godlike reason / To rust in us unused.

(social sciences, countable) An institutionalized way of thinking, a social boundary defining what can be said about a specific topic (after ).

* 2007 , Christine L. Marran, Poison Woman: Figuring Female Transgression in Modern Japanese Culture (page 137)

Furthermore, it should be recalled from the previous chapter that criminological discourse of the 1930s deemed every woman a potential criminal, implicitly including the domestic woman.

* 2008 , Jane Anna Gordon, Lewis Gordon, A Companion to African-American Studies (page 308)

But equally important to the emergence of uniquely African-American queer discourses is the refusal of African-American movements for liberation to address adequately issues of sexual orientation and gender identity.

(obsolete) Dealing; transaction.

* Beaumont and Fletcher

Good Captain Bessus, tell us the discourse / Betwixt Tigranes and our king, and how / We got the victory.

Noun

(en noun)

A part or segment of something joined to other parts, or, in combination, forming a structured set.

* Paley

upon each article of human duty

* Habington

each article of time

* E. Darwin

the articles which compose the blood

A story, report, or opinion piece in a newspaper, magazine, journal, etc.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03

, author=Lee A. Groat, volume=100, issue=2, page=128, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Gemstones , passage=Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are

A member of a group or class

An object.

* , chapter=12

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs, […], and all these articles  […] made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished.}}

(grammar) A part of speech that indicates, specifies and limits a noun (a'', ''an'', or ''the'' in English). In some languages the article''' may appear as an ending (e.g. definite ' article in Swedish) or there may be none (e.g. Russian, Pashto).

A section of a legal document, bylaws, etc.

(derogatory) A person.

* {{quote-news, 2001, August 4, Lynne Walker, Classical: Musical portrait of the artist as a young man, The Independent citation

, passage="You dateless article ," stormed his father, leaving Bennett to realise in his laconic way that he was, and probably always would be, a disappointment to Dad.}}

A wench. A prime article = A handsome girl.

(dated) Subject matter; concern.

* Addison

a very great revolution that happened in this article of good breeding

* Daniel Defoe

This last article will hardly be believed.

(dated) A distinct part.

(obsolete) A precise point in time; a moment.

* Evelyn

This fatal news coming to Hick's Hall upon the article of my Lord Russell's trial, was said to have had no little influence on the jury and all the bench to his prejudice.