CONTENTION DEFINITIONS - 12 definitions found
contention n 1: a point asserted as part of an argument 2: a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument" [syn: controversy, contention, contestation, disputation, disceptation, tilt, argument, arguing] 3: the act of competing as for profit or a prize; "the teams were in fierce contention for first place" [syn: competition, contention, rivalry] [ant: cooperation] contention kənˈtenʃən See: BONE OF CONTENTION. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) contention noun Etymology: Middle English contencioun, from Anglo-French cuntenciun, from Latin contention-, contentio, from contendere Date: 14th century 1. an act or instance of contending 2. a point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument 3. rivalry, competition Synonyms: see discord Oxford English Reference Dictionary
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner\'s English Dictionary contention (contentions) 1. Someone's contention is the idea or opinion that they are expressing in an argument or discussion. This evidence supports their contention that the outbreak of violence was prearranged. = claim N-COUNT: usu poss N 2. If something is a cause of contention, it is a cause of disagreement or argument. A particular source of contention is plans to privatise state-run companies. N-UNCOUNT: usu n of N see also bone of contention 3. If you are in contention in a contest, you have a chance of winning it. He was in contention for a place in the European championship squad. PHRASE: v-link PHR English Explanatory Dictionary contention kənˈtenʃən n. 1 a dispute or argument; rivalry. 2 a point contended for in an argument (it is my contention that you are wrong). øin contention competing, esp. with a good chance of success. [ME f. OF contention or L contentio (as contend)] English-Old English dictionary contention Handy Dictionary of Poetical Quotations Contention Sons and brothers at a strife! What is your quarrel? how began it first? --No quarrel, but a slight contention. SHAKESPEARE: 3 Henry VI., Act i., Sc. 2. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) Contention \Con*ten"tion\, n. [F. contention, L. contentio. See Contend.] 1. A violent effort or struggle to obtain, or to resist, something; contest; strife. I would my arms could match thee in contention. --Shak. 2. Strife in words; controversy; altercation; quarrel; dispute; as, a bone of contention. Contentions and strivings about the law. --Titus iii. 9. 3. Vehemence of endeavor; eagerness; ardor; zeal. An end . . . worthy our utmost contention to obtain. --Rogers. 4. A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion or strife; a position taken or contended for. All men seem agreed what is to be done; the contention is how the subject is to be divided and defined. --Bagehot. This was my original contention, and I still maintain that you should abide by your former decision. --Jowett. Syn: Struggle; strife; contest; quarrel; combat; conflict; feud; litigation; controversy; dissension; variance; disagreement; debate; competition; emulation. Usage: Contention, Strife. A struggle between two parties is the idea common to these two words. Strife is a struggle for mastery; contention is a struggle for the possession of some desired object, or the accomplishment of some favorite end. Neither of the words is necessarily used in a bad sense, since there may be a generous strife or contention between two friends as to which shall incur danger or submit to sacrifices. Ordinarily, however, these words denote a struggle arising from bad passions. In that case, strife usually springs from a quarrelsome temper, and contention from, a selfish spirit which seeks its own aggrandizement, or is fearful lest others should obtain too much. Strife has more reference to the manner than to the object of a struggle, while contention takes more account of the end to be gained. Soule\'s Dictionary of English Synonyms contention n. 1. Strife, discord, dissension, wrangling, wrangle, quarrel, squabble, feud, rupture, falling out, high words. 2. Dispute, debate, bickering, altercation, controversy, logomachy, war of words, strife of words. Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 167 Moby Thesaurus words for "contention": Discordia, Eris, altercation, antagonism, anteposition, antipathy, antithesis, apologetics, apologia, apology, argument, argumentation, argumentative, bellicose, belligerence, belligerent, bicker, bickering, blood feud, brawl, broil, bucking, captious, carping, casuistry, caviling, challenge, clash, clashing, collision, combative, conflict, confrontation, confrontment, contentious, contestation, contradiction, contraposition, contrariety, contrary, contrast, contravention, contraversion, controversial, controversy, counteraction, counterworking, crosscurrent, crossing, defense, denial, despitefulness, difference, disaccord, disaffinity, discord, discordance, discordancy, disharmony, disputation, disputatious, dispute, dissension, dissent, dissidence, disunity, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, embroilment, enmity, faultfinding, feud, fiery, fight, fliting, flyting, fracas, friction, froward, fuss, hassle, hasty, hate, hatred, head wind, hostility, hotheaded, hubbub, hurrah, imbroglio, impetuous, impugnation, impugnment, incompatibility, incompatibleness, inharmoniousness, inharmony, jangle, jar, litigation, litigious, logomachy, malevolence, malice, malignity, militant, mischief, negation, noncooperation, open conflict, open quarrel, opposing, opposition, opposure, oppugnation, paper war, passage of arms, peppery, perverse, polar opposition, polarity, polarization, polemic, polemical, polemics, posing against, pugnacious, quarrel, quarrelsome, quarrelsomeness, rebutment, rebuttal, refusal, rejection, repugnance, resistance, rhubarb, rub, rumpus, scrappy, set-to, sharp words, slanging match, snarl, spat, spite, spitefulness, squabble, standing against, strained relations, strife, tension, tiff, traversal, truculent, tussle, undercurrent, unharmoniousness, unpleasantness, variance, vendetta, verbal engagement, war of words, warlike, words, wrangle, wrangling |
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