I’m confused by “he had recourse”. Is “recourse” a noun here or a verb? Here is the sentence: “Once in a previous year he had gone to look at the mowing, and being made very angry by the bailiff he ha

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I’m confused by “he had recourse”. Is “recourse” a noun here or a verb? Here is the sentence: “Once in a previous year he had gone to look at the mowing, and being made very angry by the bailiff he had recourse to his favorite means for regaining his temper……” Thank you

Aug 30, 2023 12:17 PM

Answers · 9

It's a noun. It's a similar construction to having access to having a right to etc.

August 30, 2023

"Recourse" comes from Latin meaning "a running back" or "a going back". It means "option" or "possibility" or "hope" or "remedy" but especially in the sense of falling back on something. It can be used with or without an article: "the (or a) recourse" or "recourse": "taking the exam again may be the only recourse" In your sentence, "and being made very angry by the bailiff" means the same as "and since the bailiff made him very angry".

August 30, 2023