Adjacent Words

Emulation definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EMULA'TION, n. The act of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry; desire of superiority, attended with effort to attain to it; generally in a good sense, or an attempt to equal or excel others in that which is praise-worthy, without the desire of depressing others. Romans 11. In a bad sense, a striving to equal or do more than others to obtain carnal favors or honors. Val.5.
1. An ardor kindled by the praise-worthy examples of others, inciting to imitate them, or to equal or excel them.
A noble emulation heats your breast.
2. Contest; contention; strife; competition; rivalry accompanied with a desire of depressing another.
Such factious emulations shall arise.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: ambition to equal or excel
2: (computer science) technique of one machine obtaining the same results as another
3: effort to equal or surpass another

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 1542 1. obsolete ambitious or envious rivalry 2. ambition or endeavor to equal or excel others (as in achievement) 3. a. imitation b. the use of or technique of using an emulator • emulative adjective • emulatively adverb

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Emulation Em`u*la"tion, n. [L. aemulatio: cf. F. ['e]mulation.] 1. The endeavor to equal or to excel another in qualities or actions; an assiduous striving to equal or excel another; rivalry. A noble emulation heats your breast. --Dryden. 2. Jea?ous rivalry; envy; envious contention. Such factious emulations shall arise. --Shak. Syn: Competition; rivalry; contest; contention; strife. -- Emulation, Competition, Rivalry. Competition is the struggle of two or more persons for the same object. Emulation is an ardent desire for superiority, arising from competition, but now implying, of necessity, any improper feeling. Rivalry is a personal contest, and, almost of course, has a selfish object and gives rise to envy. ``Competition and emulation have honor for their basis; rivalry is but a desire for selfish gratification. Competition and emulation animate to effort; rivalry usually produces hatred. Competition and emulation seek to merit success; rivalry is contented with obtaining it.'' --Crabb.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see emulate

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

em-u-la'-shun (zelos, parazeloo):

Occurs twice in the New Testament, once in a bad sense and once in a good sense.

(1) In Ga 5:20 the King James Version it is the translation of zelos ("zeal," "earnestness," "enthusiasm") where it is classed among "the works of the flesh" and signifies the stirring up of jealousy or envy in others, because of what we are, or have, or profess. The Greek word is used in this sense in Ac 13:45; Ro 13:13; 1Co 3:3; Jas 3:14,16; 2Co 12:20; Ga 5:20; the Revised Version (British and American) translated by "jealousy." It denotes a work of the flesh or lower nature, which Christians often fail sufficiently to guard against; it pleases "the flesh" to excite such a feeling in others.

(2) In Ro 11:14 the King James Version "emulation" is the translation of parazeloo ("to make one zealous or jealous"), and is there used in a good sense. "If by any means I may provoke to emulation (the Revised Version (British and American) jealousy) them that are my flesh" (compare Ro 10:19, quoted from De 32:21). It is well to "provoke to emulation" in this sense, those who are slow or indifferent, by the example of earnestness and zeal on our part. This is not to please "the flesh," but to serve "the Spirit."

W. L. Walker

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Rivalry, competition, desire to excel, desire of superiority. 2. Envy, jealousy, contention, envious strife.