contend

== English == === 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. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kənˈtɛnd/ Rhymes: -ɛnd === Verb === contend (third-person singular simple present contends, present participle contending, simple past and past participle contended) (intransitive) To be in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight. 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. (intransitive) 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. (intransitive) To be in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue. (intransitive) To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate. Supreme Court of the United States (2024), Trump v. Anderson‎s:Trump v. Anderson, page 1: To try to cope with a difficulty or problem. [with with] ==== Synonyms ==== (strive in opposition): fight, combat, vie, oppose (struggle): struggle, strive, emulate (rare) (strive in debate): contest, litigate, dispute, debate (believe and argue): assert, aver, submit ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== contender contention contentious ==== Translations ==== ==== Further reading ==== “contend”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “contend”, in The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia: […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “contend”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.