resort
UK[rɪˈzɔːt]US[rɪˈzɔːrt]
n
A place that is popular for holidays or recreation.
n
The action of turning to and adopting a strategy or course of action, especially a bad or undesirable one, out of necessity.
v
To turn to and adopt (a course of action, or strategy) so as to resolve a difficult situation.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
sort
re
again
sort
to go out
Etymology
The word 'resort' entered English from Old French 'resortir', meaning "to go out again, to rebound". Its core components are the Latin prefix 're-' and the verb 'sortīrī'. The original sense was of turning or going back to a place or person. This evolved into the noun meaning a place one frequently goes to, hence a holiday destination. The abstract meaning of turning to a particular course of action, especially as a last option, developed from this idea of going to something as a source of aid or solution.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + sort (to go out)
're-' is a Latin prefix meaning "again, back". 'sort' is from the Latin verb 'sortīrī', meaning "to cast lots, to obtain, to go out".
Examples
The island is a popular tourist resort known for its beaches.
He managed to fix the problem without resort to violence.
If negotiations fail, we may have to resort to legal action.