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

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Verb

contend (third-person singular simple present contends, present participle contending, simple past and past participle contended)

1. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
   • 1611, King James Version, Deuteronomy ii. 9

     The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.

   • 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]:
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.

3. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
   • (Can we date this quote by John Locke and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     The question which our author would contend for.

   • (Can we date this quote by Dr. H. More and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial.

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.

Synonyms

• struggle, fight, combat, vie, strive, oppose, emulate, contest, litigate, dispute, debate

Related terms

• contender
• contention
• contentious

Translations

strive in opposition

• Bulgarian: съпернича (bg) (sǎperniča), състезавам се (sǎstezavam se)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 奮鬥／奋斗 (zh) (fèndòu), 奋斗 (zh) (fèndòu), 掙扎 (zh) (zhēngzhá), 挣扎 (zh) (zhēngzhá), 競爭／竞争 (zh) (jìngzhēng), 竞争 (zh) (jìngzhēng), 鬥爭／斗争 (zh) (dòuzhēng), 斗争 (zh) (dòuzhēng)

• Czech: zápasit impf, bojovat (cs) impf, rvát se impf
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: riidellä (fi), kiistellä (fi), taistella (fi)
• German: streiten (de), sich auseinandersetzen, ringen mit, sich widersetzen, kämpfen (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: ἀγωνίζομαι (agōnízomai)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: certō, dīmicō
• Maori: tauwhāinga, taumāhekeheke (in a friendly manner), tauwhāinga
• Persian: ستیزه کردن (setize kardan)
• Russian: соперничать (ru) (soperničatʹ)
• Spanish: contender (es)
• Swedish: kämpa (sv), strida (sv)
• Ukrainian: змага́тися (zmahátysja)

struggle

• Bulgarian: боря се (borja se), сражавам се (sražavam se)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 競爭／竞争 (zh) (jìngzhēng), 竞争 (zh) (jìngzhēng), 爭奪／争夺 (zh) (zhēngduó), 争夺 (zh) (zhēngduó), 掙扎 (zh) (zhēngzhá), 挣扎 (zh) (zhēngzhá)

• Czech: snažit se (cs) impf, namáhat se impf, probíjet se impf
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: kamppailla (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: verteidigen (de), festhalten an, ringen um, kämpfen für, kämpfen um
• Latin: dīmicō
• Maori: kairapu, kairapurapu
• Russian: боро́ться (ru) (borótʹsja)
• Spanish: contender (es)
• Ukrainian: боро́тися (uk) (borótysja)

strive in debate

• Bulgarian: споря (bg) (sporja)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 爭論／争论 (zh) (zhēnglùn), 争论 (zh) (zhēnglùn), 辯論／辩论 (zh) (biànlùn), 辩论 (zh) (biànlùn)

• Czech: tvrdit (cs) impf
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: väitellä (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: sich einsetzen für, argumentieren (de), streiten für
• Maori: tauwhawhai
• Russian: утвержда́ть (ru) (utverždátʹ)
• Spanish: sostener (es)
• Ukrainian: спереча́тися (sperečátysja), наполяга́ти (napoljaháty)

believe and argue

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 認為／认为 (zh) (rènwéi), 认为 (zh) (rènwéi), 論證／论证 (zh) (lùnzhèng), 论证 (zh) (lùnzhèng)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Dutch: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: esittää (fi), väittää (fi)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Persian: ^{(please verify)} ستیزه کردن،مخالفت کرده با، رقابت کردن، ادعا کردن
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Further reading

• “contend”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “contend”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.