Contention CONTENTION, n. [L. See Contend.] 1. Strife; struggle;
a violent effort to obtain something, or to resist a person, claim or
injury; contest; quarrel. Multitudes lost their lives in a tumult
raised by contention among the partizans of the several colors.
2. Strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy.
Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings
about the law. Titus 3. A fools lips enter into contention. Prov
18. 3. Strife or endeavor to excel; emulation. 4. Eagerness;
zeal; ardor; vehemence of endeavor. This is an end worthy of our
utmost contention to obtain.
contention nounEtymology: Middle English contencioun, from Anglo-French
cuntenciun, from Latin contention-, contentio, from
contendereDate: 14th century 1. an act or instance of
contending 2. a point advanced or maintained in a debate or argument
3.rivalry, competitionSynonyms:seediscord
contention n. 1 a dispute or argument; rivalry. 2 a point contended for in an argument (it is my contention that you are wrong). Phrases and idioms: in contention competing, esp.
with a good chance of success. Etymology: ME f. OF contention or L contentio (as contend)
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 ofcontention, 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 Nsee alsobone 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
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)]
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.
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.
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