Adjacent Words

Challenge definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CHALLENGE, n. Literally, a calling, or crying out, the primary sense of many words expressing a demand, as claim. Hence appropriately,
1. A calling upon one to fight in single combat; an invitation or summons, verbal or written, to decide a controversy by a duel. Hence the letter containing the summons is also called a challenge.
2. A claim or demand made of a right or supposed right.
There must be no challenge of superiority.
3. Among hunters, the opening and crying of hounds at the first finding the scent of their game.
4. In law, an exception to jurors; the claim of a party that certain jurors shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause; that is, a calling them off. The right of challenge is given both in civil and criminal trials, for certain causes which are supposed to disqualify a juror to be an impartial judge. The right of challenge extends either to the whole panel or array, or only to particular jurors, called a challenge to the polls. A principal challenge is that which the law allows without cause assigned. A challenge to the favor, is when the party alleges a special cause. In criminal cases, a prisoner may challenge twenty jurors, without assigning a cause. This is called a peremptory challenge.
CHALLENGE, VT
1. To call, invite or summon to answer for an offense by single combat, or duel.
2. To call to a contest; to invite to a trial; as, I challenge a man to prove what he asserts, implying defiance.
3. To accuse; to call to answer.
4. To claim as due; to demand as a right; as, the Supreme Being challenges our reverence and homage.
5. In law, to call off a juror, or jurors; or to demand that jurors shall not sit in trial upon a cause. [See the noun.]
6. To call to the performance of conditions.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a demanding or stimulating situation; "they reacted irrationally to the challenge of Russian power"
2: a call to engage in a contest or fight
3: questioning a statement and demanding an explanation; "his challenge of the assumption that Japan is still our enemy"
4: a formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror
5: a demand by a sentry for a password or identification v
1: take exception to; "She challenged his claims" [syn: challenge, dispute, gainsay]
2: issue a challenge to; "Fischer challenged Spassky to a match"
3: ask for identification; "The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border guard"
4: raise a formal objection in a court of law [syn: challenge, take exception]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (challenged; challenging) Etymology: Middle English chalengen to accuse, from Anglo-French chalenger, from Latin calumniari to accuse falsely, from calumnia calumny Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to demand as due or deserved ; require <an event that challenges explanation> 2. to order to halt and prove identity <the sentry challenged the stranger> 3. to dispute especially as being unjust, invalid, or outmoded ; impugn <new data that challenges old assumptions> 4. to question formally the legality or legal qualifications of <challenge a juror> 5. a. to confront or defy boldly ; dare <he challenged his critics to prove his guilt> b. to call out to duel or combat c. to invite into competition <he challenged his brother to a tennis match> 6. to arouse or stimulate especially by presenting with difficulties <she wants a job that will challenge her> 7. to administer a physiological and especially an immunologic challenge to (an organism or cell) intransitive verb 1. to make or present a challenge 2. to take legal exception • challenger noun II. noun Date: 14th century 1. a. a summons that is often threatening, provocative, stimulating, or inciting; specifically a summons to a duel to answer an affront b. an invitation to compete in a sport 2. a. a calling to account or into question ; protest b. an exception taken to a juror before the juror is sworn c. a sentry's command to halt and prove identity d. a questioning of the right or validity of a vote or voter 3. a stimulating task or problem <looking for new challenges> 4. the act or process of provoking or testing physiological activity by exposure to a specific substance; especially a test of immunity by exposure to an antigen

U.S. Military Dictionary

(*) Any process carried out by one unit or person with the object of ascertaining the friendly or hostile character or identity of another. See also countersign; password.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a a summons to take part in a contest or a trial of strength etc., esp. to a duel. b a summons to prove or justify something. 2 a demanding or difficult task (rose to the challenge of the new job). 3 Law an objection made to a jury member. 4 a call to respond, esp. a sentry's call for a password etc. 5 an invitation to a sporting contest, esp. one issued to a reigning champion. 6 Med. a test of immunity after immunization treatment. --v.tr. 1 (often foll. by to + infin.) a invite to take part in a contest, game, debate, duel, etc. b invite to prove or justify something. 2 dispute, deny (I challenge that remark). 3 a stretch, stimulate (challenges him to produce his best). b (as challenging adj.) demanding; stimulatingly difficult. 4 (of a sentry) call to respond. 5 claim (attention, etc.). 6 Law object to (a jury member, evidence, etc.). 7 Med. test by a challenge. Derivatives: challengeable adj. challenger n. Etymology: ME f. OF c(h)alenge, c(h)alenger f. L calumnia calumniari calumny

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Favor Fa"vor, n. [Written also favour.] [OF. favor, F. faveur, L. favor, fr. favere to be favorable, cf. Skr. bh[=a]vaya to further, foster, causative of bh[=u] to become, be. Cf. Be. In the phrase to curry favor, favor is prob. for favel a horse. See 2d Favel.] 1. Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. Hath crawled into the favor of the king. --Shak. 2. The act of countenancing, or the condition of being countenanced, or regarded propitiously; support; promotion; befriending. But found no favor in his lady's eyes. --Dryden. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. --Luke ii. 52. 3. A kind act or office; kindness done or granted; benevolence shown by word or deed; an act of grace or good will, as distinct from justice or remuneration. Beg one favor at thy gracious hand. --Shak. 4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity. I could not discover the lenity and favor of this sentence. --Swift. 5. The object of regard; person or thing favored. All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, His chief delight and favor. --Milton. 6. A gift or represent; something bestowed as an evidence of good will; a token of love; a knot of ribbons; something worn as a token of affection; as, a marriage favor is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding. Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap. --Shak. 7. Appearance; look; countenance; face. [Obs.] This boy is fair, of female favor. --Shak. 8. (Law) Partiality; bias. --Bouvier. 9. A letter or epistle; -- so called in civility or compliment; as, your favor of yesterday is received. 10. pl. Love locks. [Obs.] --Wright. Challenge to the favor or for favor (Law), the challenge of a juror on grounds not sufficient to constitute a principal challenge, but sufficient to give rise to a probable suspicion of favor or bias, such as acquaintance, business relation, etc. See Principal challenge, under Challenge. In favor of, upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. In favor with, favored, countenanced, or encouraged by. To curry favor [see the etymology of Favor, above], to seek to gain favor by flattery, caresses, kindness, or officious civilities. With one's favor, or By one's favor, with leave; by kind permission. But, with your favor, I will treat it here. --Dryden. Syn: Kindness; countenance; patronage; support; lenity; grace; gift; present; benefit.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Challenge Chal"lenge, n. [OE. chalenge claim, accusation, challenge, OF. chalenge, chalonge, claim, accusation, contest, fr. L. calumnia false accusation, chicanery. See Calumny.] 1. An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons. A challenge to controversy. --Goldsmith. 2. The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign. 3. A claim or demand. [Obs.] There must be no challenge of superiority. --Collier. 4. (Hunting) The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game. 5. (Law) An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause. --Blackstone 6. An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered. [U. S.] Challenge to the array (Law), an exception to the whole panel. Challenge to the favor, the alleging a special cause, the sufficiency of which is to be left to those whose duty and office it is to decide upon it. Challenge to the polls, an exception taken to any one or more of the individual jurors returned. Peremptory challenge, a privilege sometimes allowed to defendants, of challenging a certain number of jurors (fixed by statute in different States) without assigning any cause. Principal challenge, that which the law allows to be sufficient if found to be true.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Challenge Chal"lenge, v. i. To assert a right; to claim a place. Where nature doth with merit challenge. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Challenge Chal"lenge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Challenged; p. pr. & vb. n. Challenging.] [OE. chalengen to accuse, claim, OF. chalengier, chalongier, to claim, accuse, dispute, fr. L. calumniar to attack with false accusations. See Challenge, n., and cf. Calumniate.] 1. To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy. I challenge any man to make any pretense to power by right of fatherhood. --Locke. 2. To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat. By this I challenge him to single fight. --Shak. 3. To claim as due; to demand as a right. Challenge better terms. --Addison. 4. To censure; to blame. [Obs.] He complained of the emperors . . . and challenged them for that he had no greater revenues . . . from them. --Holland. 5. (Mil.) To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with ``Who comes there?'' 6. To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation. 7. (Law) To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court. 8. To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter. [U. S.] To challenge to the array, favor, polls. See under Challenge, n.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(challenges, challenging, challenged) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A challenge is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination. I like a big challenge and they don't come much bigger than this... The new government's first challenge is the economy. N-VAR 2. If someone rises to the challenge, they act in response to a difficult situation which is new to them and are successful. The new Germany must rise to the challenge of its enhanced responsibilities... PHRASE: V inflects 3. A challenge to something is a questioning of its truth or value. A challenge to someone is a questioning of their authority. The demonstrators have now made a direct challenge to the authority of the government. N-VAR: oft N to n 4. If you challenge ideas or people, you question their truth, value, or authority. Democratic leaders have challenged the president to sign the bill... The move was immediately challenged by two of the republics... I challenged him on the hypocrisy of his political attitudes. VERB: V n to-inf, be V-ed, V n on/about n, also V with quote, V n 5. If you challenge someone, you invite them to fight or compete with you in some way. A mum slashed a neighbour's car tyre and challenged her to a fight after their daughters fell out... He left a note at the scene of the crime, challenging detectives to catch him... We challenged a team who called themselves 'College Athletes'. VERB: V n to n, V n to-inf, V n • Challenge is also a noun. A third presidential candidate emerged to mount a serious challenge and throw the campaign wide open. N-COUNT 6. see also challenged, challenging

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

chal'-enj: Only in Ex 22:9, where the King James Version has taken Hebrew 'amar, "say," in the sense of "claim." the Revised Version (British and American) "whereof one saith, This is it," points more definitely to the idea of identification of the stolen personal property.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Defy, dare, brave, invite to contest, call to combat, call to answer. 2. Demand, require, claim, call for. 3. (Law.) Object to, take exceptions to. II. n. 1. Defiance, summons to contest, call to combat, call to answer. 2. (Law.) Exception, objection.

Moby Thesaurus

Socratic method, affront, arouse, ask, ask for, asking, attack, awake a doubt, awaken, baffle, balk, banter, battle cry, be contrary to, be diffident, be doubtful, be dubious, be skeptical, be uncertain, beard, beef, belie, bestir, bid defiance, bid to combat, bitch, blackmail, blast, boggle, boycott, brave, breast, bring before, bring forward, bring up, bringing into question, bucking, call, call for, call in question, call into question, call out, calling, cartel, catechetical method, catechization, catechizing, challenge, checkmate, circumvent, claim, claiming, clamor for, combative reaction, compete, compete with, complain, complain loudly, complaint, compunction, confound, confront, confront with, confrontation, contend with, contention, contest, contradict, contradiction, contravention, contraversion, controvert, cope, counter, counteract, counteraction, countermand, counterwork, counterworking, cross, crosscurrent, crossing, cry for, cry out against, dare, dash, declaration of war, declare war, defeat, defi, defiance, defy, demand, demanding, demonstrate, demonstrate against, demonstration, demur, demurral, demurrer, denial, deny, destroy, difficulty, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, dish, dispute, dissent, dissentience, distrust, double dare, double-dare, doubt, elude, emulate, encounter, enter a protest, envisage, exact, exacting, examination, exception, expostulate, expostulation, extort, face, face down, face out, face up to, face with, flummox, foil, fractiousness, front, frustrate, gage, gage of battle, gainsay, gauntlet, glove, greet with skepticism, grievance, grievance committee, half believe, harbor suspicions, have reservations, head wind, holler, howl, impose, impugn, impugnation, impugnment, indent, indignation meeting, inquiring, insistence, interpellation, interrogation, invitation, invite, issue an ultimatum, jockey, kick, kick against, kindle, knock the chocks, lay before, lay claim to, levy, levy war on, make a demand, make a stand, make war on, march, meet, meet head-on, meet squarely, misgive, mistrust, negate, negation, negativism, noncooperation, nonplus, nonviolent protest, object, object to, objection, obstinacy, offer resistance, open hostilities, oppose, opposing, opposition, opposure, oppugn, oppugnation, order, order up, outdare, outvie, passive resistance, perplex, picket, picketing, place an order, place before, postulate, present to, press objections, pretend to, probing, problem, protest, protest demonstration, protestation, provocation, provoke, pumping, put in requisition, put it to, qualm, query, querying, question, questioning, quiz, quizzing, raise a howl, raise a question, rally, reaction, rebel yell, rebuff, rebut, rebutment, rebuttal, recalcitrance, recalcitrancy, recalcitrate, recalcitration, refractoriness, refusal, reject, rejection, reluct, reluctance, remonstrance, remonstrate, remonstration, renitence, renitency, repellence, repellency, repulse, repulsion, require, requisition, resistance, revolt, rival, rouse, ruin, sabotage, scotch, scream defiance, screw, scruple, seeking, set before, show fight, sit in, sit-in, smell a rat, solicit, spike, spoil, squawk, stand, stand at bay, stand up against, stand up to, standing against, stare down, state a grievance, stem, stimulation, stir, stonewall, strike, strive, strive against, struggle, stump, summon, summons, suspect, take exception to, teach in, teach-in, test, test one another, throw doubt upon, thwart, traversal, traverse, treat with reserve, trial, try, ultimatum, uncooperativeness, undercurrent, upset, venture, vie, vie with, wake, waken, war cry, war whoop, warn, whet, withstand, withstanding, yell bloody murder