conquer
verbUK /ˈkɒŋkə/ · US /ˈkɑŋkɚ/
Etymology From Middle English conqueren, from Old French conquerre, from Late Latin conquaerere (“to knock, strike; to search for, procure”), from Latin con- + quaerere (“to seek, acquire”). Displaced native Old English oferwinnan.
1
To defeat in combat; to subjugate.
- I lay in the desert beyond all cities and sounds, and above me flowed the River of Silence through the sky; and on the desert’s edge night fought against the Sun, and suddenly conquered.1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 88:
2
To acquire by force of arms, win in war; to become ruler of; to subjugate.
- In 1453, the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople.
- I haue beene wooed, as I intreat thee now, / Euen by the ſterne, and direfull God of warre, / VVhoſe ſinowie necke in battel nere did bow, / VVho conquers where he comes in euery iarre; […]1594, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, [verse 17], lines [97–100]:
3 more examples
- We conquer'd France, but felt our captive's charms.1714, Alexander Pope, Imitation of Horace, Book II. Sat. 6:
- "Look at Clive - just a clerk, and he conquered India!"1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
- Taiwan's interests and Hong Kong's political and economic future are best served by close ties between their friends in the West and Beijing. For example, the fact that the PRC must choose between using force to conquer Taiwan and forfeiting its relationship with the United States is the best guarantee of Taipei's security.1992, Richard Nixon, “The Pacific Triangle”, in Seize the Moment, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 170:
3
To overcome an abstract obstacle.
- Today I conquered my fear of flying by finally boarding a plane.
- to conquer difficulties or temptations
3 more examples
- By winning words to conquer willing hearts, / And make persuasion do the work of fear.1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 1:
- The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
- There are few sights that leave a railway lover more wistful than a desolate railway viaduct no longer carrying tracks. As with tunnels, so much effort was made to conquer the landscape, yet so many now stand forlorn.2025 November 26, Tim Dunn, “Lost and found: historical assets”, in RAIL, number 1049, page 55:
4
Dated To gain, win, or obtain by effort.
- to conquer freedom; to conquer a peace
- Derived terms
- all-conquering, conquerable, conqueree, conquerer, conqueress, conqueringly, conquerment, conqueror, conquest, divide and conquer, love conquers all, preconquer, reconquer, unconquerable, unconquered, unconquering
- Related terms
- conquest