contend
verb/kənˈtɛnd/
Etymology From Middle English contenden, borrowed from Old French contendre, from Latin contendere (“to stretch out, extend, strive after, contend”), from com- (“together”) + tendere (“to stretch”); see tend, and compare attend, extend, intend, subtend.
1
To be in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
- The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 2:9:
- For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
1 more example
- 2011, Osaiah "Ike" Wilson III, James J.F. Forrest, Handbook of Defence Politics the armies of Syria and Lebanon lack the capability to contend with the Israeli army, as demonstrated during the course of the First Lebanon War.
2
To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
- 17th century, John Dryden, Epistle III to the Lady Castlemain You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.
- God has entrusted something to the church, and it is the church's job to contend for it, even unto death2020, C. Matthew McMahon, Therese B. McMahon, 5 Marks of Christian Resolve:
3
To be in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
- these simple ideas are far from those innate principles which some contend for1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 9:
- many of those things he so fiercely contended about , were either falle or trivial1667, attributed to Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety. […], London: […] R. Norton for T. Garthwait, […], →OCLC:
4
To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate.
- In this paper the author contends that no useful results can be obtained if this method is used.
- Some panellists contended that the costs of research and care justified the establishment of a permanent national commission1996, Michael Adler, Erio Ziglio, Gazing Into the Oracle […] :
2 more examples
- His critics contend the eight years [term limit] expired Tuesday, the day before the anniversary of Prayuth officially becoming prime minister in the military government installed after the coup.2022 August 24, Tassanee Vejpongsa, Grant Peck, “Thai court suspends PM Prayuth pending ruling on term limit”, in The Washington Post, retrieved 24 Aug 2022:
- A group of Colorado voters contends that Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits former President Donald J. Trump, who seeks the Presidential nomination of the Republican Party in this year’s election, from becoming President again.Supreme Court of the United States (2024), Trump v. Anderson, page 1
5
To try to cope with a difficulty or problem.
- However, the challenges for the railway world are much greater than for automotive as we generally have more occupants, higher speeds, greater masses, higher energies, and an absence of seatbelts or airbags to contend with.2021 December 29, Dominique Louis, “Causal analysis: crashworthiness at Sandilands”, in RAIL, number 947, page 32:
- Synonyms
- fight, combat, vie, oppose, struggle, strive, emulate, contest, litigate, dispute, debate, assert, aver, submit
- Derived terms
- contendingly, contend with, noncontending, uncontended, uncontending
- Related terms
- contender, contention, contentious