Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense converses, present participle conversing, past tense, past participle conversedpronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (kənvɜːʳs). The noun is pronounced (kɒnvɜːʳs).
1. verb
If you conversewith someone, you talk to them. You can also say that two people converse.
[formal]
Luke sat directly behind the pilot and conversed with him. [VERB + with]
They were conversing in German, their only common language. [VERB]
Synonyms: talk, speak, chat, communicate More Synonyms of converse
2. singular noun
The converse of a statement is its opposite or reverse.
[formal]
Your job is critical to where and how you live – and the converse is also true.
More Synonyms of converse
converse in British English1
verb (kənˈvɜːs)(intransitive; often foll bywith)
1.
to engage in conversation (with)
2.
to commune spiritually (with)
3. obsolete
a.
to associate; consort
b.
to have sexual intercourse
noun (ˈkɒnvɜːs)
4.
conversation (often in the phrase hold converse with)
5. obsolete
a.
fellowship or acquaintance
b.
sexual intercourse
Derived forms
converser (conˈverser)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Old French converser, from Latin conversārī to keep company with, from conversāre to turn constantly, from vertere to turn
converse in British English2
(ˈkɒnvɜːs)
adjective
1. (prenominal)
reversed; opposite; contrary
noun
2.
something that is opposite or contrary
3. logic
a.
a categorical proposition obtained from another by the transposition of subject and predicate, as no bad man is bald from no bald man is bad
b.
a proposition so derived, possibly by weakening a universal proposition to the corresponding particular, as some socialists are rich from all rich men are socialists
4. logic, mathematics
a relation that holds between two relata only when a given relation holds between them in reverse order: thus father of is the converse of son of
Word origin
C16: from Latin conversus turned around; see converse1
converse in American English1
(kənˈvɜrs; for n. ˈkɑnˌvɜrs)
verb intransitiveWord forms: conˈversed or conˈversing
1.
to hold a conversation; talk
2. Obsolete
to consort; interact socially
noun
3.
informal talk; conversation
4. Obsolete
social interaction
SIMILAR WORDS: speak
Derived forms
converser (conˈverser)
noun
Word origin
ME conversen < OFr converser < L conversari, to live with, keep company with, freq. of convertere: see convert
converse in American English2
(ˈkɑnvɜrs; also, for adj .; kənˈvɜrs)
adjective
1.
reversed in position, order, action, etc.; opposite; contrary; turned about
noun
2.
a thing related in a converse way; the opposite
3. Logic
a proposition obtained by conversion
Derived forms
conversely (conˈversely)
adverb
Word origin
L conversus, pp. of convertere: see convert
Examples of 'converse' in a sentence
converse
But the converse also seems to apply.
Munro, Bill Dr. & Munro, Frances Beat Stress (1992)
The converse is true for a magnum.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Sell a business and the converse is true.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But the converse was not true.
Bee, Helen The Developing Child (7th edn.) (1995)
Finally, must characters converse so often from opposite ends of the traverse stage?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In the foreground, two men converse.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
Of course, the converse also applied.
Linda Colley The Ordeal of Elizabeth Marsh: A Woman in World History (2007)
When equities are strong, the converse is true.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We found the converse was also true, at least for us.
Christianity Today (2000)
Of course, the converse is not true.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
The converse is true: you must hide information that will be more useful to declarer than partner.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The converse might also be true: all had to depend on a fair assessment of the relevant facts.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The converse is also true.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
He avoids as much as possible speaking to his players on the phone, because he finds it hard to converse that way.
The Sun (2011)
I hold to that, and the converse also applies.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In Brazil, people converse through song.
The Sun (2012)
The converse was probably true in America and Britain during the boom.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He's best when talking directly to pictures; rather less good when trying to converse about people.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I had to accept that he hadn't necessarily found me an interesting subject to converse with but was glad to talk to anybody.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
converse
British English: converse VERB
If you converse with someone, you talk to them. You can also say that two people converse.
He sat directly behind the pilot and conversed with him.
American English: converse
Brazilian Portuguese: conversar
Chinese: 交谈
European Spanish: conversar
French: converser
German: sich unterhalten
Italian: conversare
Japanese: 話し合う
Korean: 대화하다
European Portuguese: conversar
Latin American Spanish: conversar
British English: converse NOUN
The converse of a statement is its opposite or reverse.
What you do for a living is critical to where you settle and how you live -- and the converse is also true.
American English: converse
Brazilian Portuguese: inverso
Chinese: 相反的说法
European Spanish: inverso
French: inverse
German: Gegenteil
Italian: opposto
Japanese: 正反対
Korean: 역
European Portuguese: inverso
Latin American Spanish: inverso
(verb)
Definition
to have a conversation
They were conversing in German, their only common language.
Synonyms
talk
The boys all began to talk at once.
speak
It was very emotional when we spoke again.
chat
I was just chatting to him the other day.
communicate
My natural mother has never communicated with me.
They communicated in sign language.
discourse
He discoursed for several hours on English prose.
confer
She conferred with Hill and the others in her office.
commune
exchange views
shoot the breeze (slang, mainly US, Canadian)
korero (New Zealand)
(noun)
Synonyms
talk
I think it's time we had a talk.
conference
communication
The problem is a lack of real communication between you.
conversation
Our telephone conversation lasted an hour and a half.
chat
She asked me into her office for a chat.
dialogue
Those who witnessed their dialogue spoke of high emotion.
korero (New Zealand)
(noun)
Definition
a statement or idea that is the opposite of another
If that is true, the converse is equally so.
Synonyms
opposite
She's very shy, but her sister is quite the opposite.
reverse
There is absolutely no evidence. Quite the reverse.
contrary
Let me assure you that the contrary is, in fact, the case.
other side of the coin
obverse
antithesis
She is the antithesis of the typical artist.
(adjective)
Definition
reversed or opposite
Stress reduction techniques have the converse effect on the immune system.
Synonyms
opposite
Everything he does is opposite to what is considered normal behaviour.
counter
These charges and counter charges are being exchanged at an important time.