contest

contest
contest vb 1 *compete, contend
Analogous words: struggle, strive, endeavor (see ATTEMPT): fight, battle (see CONTEND)
2 *resist, withstand, oppose, fight, combat, conflict, antagonize
contest n Contest, conflict, combat, fight, affray, fray denote a battle between opposing forces for supremacy, for power, or for possessions.
Contest is the broadest term; originally it referred solely to strife in argument but it is now applicable to any struggle, whether friendly or hostile, for a common object that involves a test of ability, strength, endurance, or strategic skill
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a swimming contest

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a contest of wits

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what mighty contests rise from trivial things— Pope

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boundary controversies or other contests between states— Frankfurter

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Conflict implies discord and warfare; it also suggests a closer engagement than contest
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arms on armor clashing brayed . . . dire was the noise of conflictMilton

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Conflict may be extended to denote a struggle (often spiritual or mental) between opposing or contradictory principles or forces
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there is [in a Shakespearean tragedy] an outward conflict of persons and groups, there is also a conflict of forces in the hero's soul— Bradley

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Combat is less commonly used in an extended sense
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a combat against despair

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It implies an encounter, especially an armed encounter, between two (individuals, parties, or forces), frequently for the determination of a dispute
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let these have a day appointed them for a single combat in convenient place— Shak.

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these progressive leaders in both parties rose only after bitter struggle. They were the product of more than a lively contest. Sometimes the contests were combatsWhite

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Fight usually implies a hand-to-hand conflict and therefore emphasizes the individual participants. It ranges in dignity from a spiritual struggle
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fight the good fight of faith—/ Tim 6:12

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to actual blows with fists or weapons
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a prizefight

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Affray commonly refers to a tumultuous disturbance (as a street fight between mobs or factions) that inspires terror. Legally an affray is a fight that disturbs the public peace; in literary use the word is often applied to an unseemly or acrimonious dispute
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the suppressing of riots and affraysBurke

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days of European crises, diplomatic affrays, hecatombic accidents— Montague

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some bloody affray between scholars— Quiller-Couch

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Fray is usually either a literary term, often with more dignified connotations than affray of which it is otherwise a very close synonym, or it is a poetic or hyperbolical substitute for battle, contest, or game
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"Where are the vile beginners of this fray?" "O noble prince, I can discover all the unlucky manage of this fatal brawl"— Shak.

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Analogous words: *encounter, skirmish, brush: competition, emulation, rivalry (see corresponding verbs at RIVAL): *battle, engagement, action

New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.

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  • contest — con·test 1 /kən test/ vt: to dispute or challenge through legal procedures contest a will con·test 2 / kän ˌtest/ n: a challenge brought through formal or legal procedures boundary controversies or other contest s between states Felix… …   Law dictionary

  • Contest — Con test, n. 1. Earnest dispute; strife in argument; controversy; debate; altercation. [1913 Webster] Leave all noisy contests, all immodest clamors and brawling language. I. Watts. [1913 Webster] 2. Earnest struggle for superiority, victory,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • contest — [n1] competition challenge, concours, discussion, game, match, meet, meeting, proving, rencounter, sport, testing, tournament, trial, trying; concepts 92,363 contest [n2] fight, struggle action, affray, altercation, battle, battle royal*, beef*,… …   New thesaurus

  • contest — ► NOUN 1) an event in which people compete for supremacy. 2) a dispute or conflict. ► VERB 1) compete to attain (a position of power). 2) take part in (a competition or election). 3) challenge or dispute. ● …   English terms dictionary

  • Contest — Con*test , v. i. To engage in contention, or emulation; to contend; to strive; to vie; to emulate; followed usually by with. [1913 Webster] The difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Contest — Con*test , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Contested}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Contesting}.] [F. contester, fr. L. contestari to call to witness, contestari litem to introduce a lawsuit by calling witnesses, to bring an action; con + testari to be a witness,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Contest — País …   Wikipedia Español

  • contest — [kən test′; ] for n. [ kän′test΄] vt. [Fr contester < L contestari, to call to witness, bring action < com , together + testari, to bear witness < testis, a witness: see TESTIFY] 1. to try to disprove or invalidate (something) as by… …   English World dictionary

  • contest — is pronounced with stress on the first syllable as a noun and on the second syllable as a verb …   Modern English usage

  • contest — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ close, equal (BrE), even, tight ▪ closely fought (esp. BrE), hard fought ▪ one sided, u …   Collocations dictionary

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