verse

1 of 2

noun

ˈvərs 

plural verses

1

: a line of metrical writing

a fourteen-syllable verse

2

a(1)

: speech or writing distinguished from ordinary language by its distinctive patterning of sounds and especially by its rhythm : metrical language

characters who speak only in verse

(2)

: poetry sense 2

b

: poem

c

: a body of metrical writing (as of a period or country)

The cinquain in older French verse was any kind of five-line stanza.

—John Hollander

3

a

: stanza sense 1

b

: a part of a song that typically occurs in a series, precedes the chorus, and follows any introduction

Sing the first and last verses only.

4

: one of the short divisions into which a chapter of scripture (such as the Bible, Torah, or Quran) is traditionally divided

verse

2 of 2

verb

versed; versing

intransitive verb

: to make verse : versify

transitive verb

1

: to tell or celebrate in verse

2

: to turn into verse

Synonyms

Noun

• lyric
• poem
• rune
• song

Verb

• acquaint
• advise
• apprise
• brief
• catch up
• clear
• clue (in)
• enlighten
• familiarize
• fill in
• hip
• inform
• instruct
• tell
• wise (up)

Examples of verse in a Sentence

Noun

The epic tale was written in verse.

The second verse is sung the same way as the first.

Verb

while in prison, he versed himself in the rights of the incarcerated

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Late-night hosts were delighted by the viral moment, taking multiple opportunities to comment on the former president’s ability to spit a verse. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024

The generator presents a unique opportunity to add and arrange verses that did not make the original track, though some of them appeared on the truncated radio edit which was dropped this week. —Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 24 Oct. 2024

The verse offered a glimpse of how Perkins wanted to be remembered. —Rebecca Brenner Graham / Made By History, TIME, 21 Oct. 2024

Hazy guitar lays the soundscape, as U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient Hastings takes the first verse, sung from the perspective of a soldier killed during the Civil War, before Brice picks up the second verse depicting the story of a soldier who dies during World War II. —Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English vers, fers, in part borrowed from Anglo-French vers, verse in part going back to Old English fers, both borrowed from Latin versus "furrow, measure of land, row, line, line of writing, line of metrical writing," action noun derived from vertere "to cause to turn, rotate," — more at worth entry 1

Verb

Middle English versen, in part verbal derivative of vers, fers verse entry 1 in part going back to Old English fersian "to versify," verbal derivative of fers verse entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing verse

• blank verse
• chapter and verse
• free verse
• heroic verse
• nonsense verse
• tumbling verse

Kids Definition

verse

noun

ˈvərs

1

: a line of writing in which words are arranged in a rhythmic pattern

2

: writing in which words are arranged in a rhythmic pattern

3

: stanza

4

: one of the short parts of a chapter of the Bible