Part 2383

<blockquote><b>Conversant</b> only with the ways of men. <i>Cowper.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Concerned; occupied.</def>

<blockquote>Education . . . is <b>conversant</b> about children. <i>W. Wotton.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Conversant</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con*vers"ant</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who converses with another; a convenser.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Conversantly</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con"ver*sant*ly</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a familiar manner.</def>

<h1>Conversation</h1> <Xpage=316>

<hw>Con`ver*sa"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>conversacio</ets> (in senses 1 & 2), OF. <ets>conversacion</ets>, F. <ets>conversation</ets>, fr. L. <ets>conversatio</ets> frequent abode in a place, intercourse, LL. also, manner of life.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>General course of conduct; behavior.</def> <mark>[Archaic]</mark>

<blockquote>Let your <b>conversation</b> be as it becometh the gospel. <i>Philip. i. 27.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Familiar intercourse; intimate fellowship or association; close acquaintance.</def> "<i>Conversation</i> with the best company."

<i>Dryden.</i>

<blockquote>I set down, out of long experience in business and much <b>conversation</b> in books, what I thought pertinent to this business. <i>Bacon.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Commerce; intercourse; traffic.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>All traffic and mutual <b>conversation</b>. <i>Hakluyt.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Colloqual discourse; oral interchange of sentiments and observations; informal dialogue.</def>

<blockquote>The influence exercised by his [Johnson's] <b>conversation</b> was altogether without a parallel. <i>Macaulay.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>Sexual intercourse; <as>as, criminal <ex>conversation</ex></as>.</def>

<syn>Syn. -- Intercourse; communion; commerce; familiarity; discourse; dialogue; colloque; talk; chat.</syn> <usage> -- <er>Conversation</er>, <er>Talk</er>. There is a looser sense of these words, in which they are synonymous; there is a stricter sense, in which they differ. <i>Talk</i> is usually broken, familiar, and versatile. <i>Conversation</i> is more continuous and sustained, and turns ordinarily upon topics or higher interest. Children <i>talk</i> to their parents or to their companions; men <i>converse</i> together in mixed assemblies. Dr. Johnson once remarked, of an evening spent in society, that there had been a great deal of <i>talk</i>, but no <i>conversation</i>.</usage>

<hr> <page="318"> Page 318<p>

<h1>Conversational</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con`ver*sa"tion*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Pertaining to conversation; in the manner of one conversing; <as>as, a <ex>conversational</ex> style</as>.</def>

<i>Thackeray.</i>

<h1>Conversationalist</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Con`ver*sa"tion*al*ist</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A conversationist.</def>

<h1>Conversationed</h1> <Xpage=318>

<hw>Conver*sa"tioned</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Acquainted with manners and deportment; behaved.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>Till she be better <b>conversationed</b>, . . . I'll keep As far from her as the gallows. <i>Beau. & Fl.</i></blockquote>