verse
verse
UK[vɜːs]US[vɜːrs]
n
writing that is arranged in short lines with a regular rhythm, often used in poetry
n
a group of lines that form a unit in a poem or song
v
to speak or write about something in verse
Etymology
the english word 'verse' originates from the latin 'versus', meaning 'a line of writing' or 'a turning', which itself is the past participle of 'vertere', 'to turn'. this connection to turning likely refers to the physical act of a plow turning at the end of a furrow, metaphorically extended to the poet's turn from one line of verse to the next. from this concrete origin, the term evolved to signify a single line of metrical writing and later generalized to refer to poetry as a whole, distinct from prose. the verb sense, meaning to compose in or tell in verse, developed subsequently in english.
Analysis
the word 'verse' is a simplex form derived as a whole from latin.
Examples
she is skilled at writing both prose and verse.
he recited the first verse of the poem from memory.
the story of the battle was versed by a contemporary poet.