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Webster 1913 Edition


Contend

Con-tend′

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Contended
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Contending
.]
[OF.
contendre
, L.
contendere
,
-tentum
;
con-
+
tendere
to strech. See
Tend
.]
1.
To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
For never two such kingdoms did
contend

Without much fall of blood.
Shakespeare
The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither
contend
with them in battle.
Deut. ii. 9.
In ambitious strength I did
Contend
against thy valor.
Shakespeare
2.
To struggle or exert one’s self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
You sit above, and see vain men below
Contend
for what you only can bestow.
Dryden.
3.
To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
The question which our author would
contend
for.
Locke.
Syn. – To struggle; fight; combat; vie; strive; oppose; emulate; contest; litigate; dispute; debate.

Con-tend′

,
Verb.
T.
To struggle for; to contest.
[R.]
Carthage shall
contend
the world with Rome.Dryden.

Webster 1828 Edition


Contend

CONTEND

,
Verb.
I.
[L., to stretch. Gr., See Tend, Tenet.]
1.
To strive, or to strive against; to struggle in opposition.
Distress not the Moabites, nor contend with them in battle. Deuteronomy 2.
2.
To strive; to use earnest efforts to obtain, or to defend and preserve.
You sit above, and see vain men below contend for what you only can bestow.
Ye should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Jude 3.
3.
To dispute earnestly; to strive in debate.
They that were of the circumcision contended with him. Acts 11. Job 9.
4.
To reprove sharply; to chide; to strive to convince and reclaim.
Then contended I with the rulers. Nehemiah 13.
5.To strive in opposition; to punish.
The Lord God called to contend by fire. Amos 7.
6.
To quarrel; to dispute fiercely; to wrangle. The parties contend about trifles.
To contend for, to strive to obtain; as, two competitors contend for the prize.

CONTEND

,
Verb.
T.
To dispute; to contest.
When Carthage shall contend the world with Rome.
This transitive use of contend is not strictly legitimate. The phrase is elliptical, for being understood after contend; but it is admissible in poetry.

Definition 2024


contend

contend

English

Verb

contend (third-person singular simple present contends, present participle contending, simple past and past participle contended)

  1. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
    • Bible, Deuteronomy ii. 9
      The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
    • Shakespeare
      For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.
  2. To struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
    • Dryden
      You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.
  3. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
    • John Locke
      The question which our author would contend for.
    • Dr H. More
      Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.

Synonyms

Related terms

Translations

External links

  • contend in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • contend in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911