Verse is a writing that uses meter as its primary organisational mode, as opposed to prose, which uses grammatical and discoursal units like sentences and paragraphs. Verse may also use rhyme and other technical devices that are often associated with poetry.

However, while much poetry is written in verse, not all of it is (see prose poetry)

Equally, not all verse is poetry. Generally speaking, what separates the two is that in poetry language achieves the highest possible level of condensation.

A verse is also another name for a stanza.

See also

• Poetry for a list measures of verse and of verse forms
• Free verse
• Alliterative verse

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A verse is the name for the short units into which chapters of holy books such as the Bible or the Koran are broken up.

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Verse is a networking protocol for switching troublesome file transfers between graphics software with real time communication.

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In popular music a verse roughly corresponds with a poetic stanza. It is often sharply contrasted with the chorus or refrain melodically, rhythmically, and harmonically, and assumes a higher level of dynamics and activity, often with added instrumentation. See: strophic form.

es:Verso eo:Verso fr:Vers (poésie)