11.04.09
v., court·ed, court·ing, courts.
v.tr.
To attempt to gain; seek: courting wealth and fame.
To behave so as to invite or incur: courts disaster by taking drugs.
To try to gain the love or affections of, especially to seek to marry.
To attempt to gain the favor of by attention or flattery: a salesperson courting a potential customer.
Zoology. To behave so as to attract (a mate).
v.intr.
To pursue a courtship; woo.
Zoology. To engage in courtship behavior.
idiom:
pay court to
To flatter with solicitous overtures in an attempt to obtain something or clear away antagonism.
To seek someone’s love; woo.
I’m pretty sure courting isn’t supposed to feel like an emotionally-detached walk through a minefield…yeah, I’m sure about that.
