resort

Etymology 1

From Middle English resorten, from Old French resortir (“to fall back, return, resort, have recourse, appeal”), back-formation from sortir (“to go out”).

noun

1. A place where people go for recreation, especially one with facilities such as lodgings, entertainment, and a relaxing environment.
   Was it deliberate that the first week of October 1961 was chosen to conduct a national survey of passenger usage? Why October of all months, when the holiday season was over and families back at work and at school? Was this a fiddling of the figures to make an unfair case against rail-dependent resorts such as those in the West Country, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, where previously overloaded summer services would now only have a handful of locals on board? March 8 2023, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, pages 52–53
2. Recourse, refuge (something or someone turned to for safety).
   to have resort to violence
3. (obsolete) A place where one goes habitually; a haunt.

verb

1. (intransitive) To have recourse (to), now especially from necessity or frustration.
   The North British Railway was always anxious to connect its line to Helensburgh Pier but the local residents would not permit their foreshore or promenade to be disfigured, so the company had to resort further east and on May 18, 1882, opened the railway pier and station at Craigendoran. 1959 November, G. H. Robin, “Railways to Helensburgh—a pre-electrification retrospect”, in Trains Illustrated, page 544
   Becoming more aware of the progress that scientists have made on behavioral fronts can reduce the risk that other natural scientists will resort to mystical agential accounts when they exceed the limits of their own disciplinary training. 2012-01, Stephen Ledoux, “Behaviorism at 100”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 60
2. (intransitive) To fall back; to revert.
   I eschew the idea of plugging in my laptop to take notes and resort to old-fashioned pen and paper instead, so that I can enjoy more of the view and not be distracted by bashing a keyboard. December 2 2020, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 65
3. (intransitive) To make one's way, go (to).

Etymology 2

re- + sort

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To repeat a sorting process; sort again.

noun

1. An act of sorting again.
   "If further sorting is required, begin anew with opcode = 0. opcode = -3 may be set to build an index file following an initial sort with opcode set to 0, or a resort with opcode set to -1. 1991, Dr. Dobb's journal: software tools for the professional programmer, Volume 16

Etymology 3

From French ressort.

noun

1. (obsolete) Active power or movement; spring.