challenge
//ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒ//
Forms
- Plural
- challenges
- present (v1)
- challenge
- past (v2)
- challenged
- past participle (v3)
- challenged
- present participle
- challenging
- 3rd person singular
- challenges
Definitions
1.A confrontation; a dare.
- Argentine midfielder Jonas Gutierrez added a superb second when he surged past four challenges to fire in low.
- For Liverpool, their season will now be regarded as a relative disappointment after failure to add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup and not mounting a challenge to reach the Champions League places.
2.A difficult task, especially one that the person making the attempt finds more enjoyable because of that difficulty.
3.A procedure or action.
- Consanguinity in direct line is a challenge for a judge when he or she is sitting cases.
- We're still waiting to hear how the court rules on our challenge of the arbitrator based on conflict of interest.
4.The opening and crying of hounds upon first finding the scent of their game.
1.To invite (someone) to take part in a competition.
- By this I challenge him to single fight.
- We challenged the boys next door to a game of football.
2.To dare (someone).
3.To dispute (something); to contest.
- In the April 2020 Roade fatality, the worker who died "was reputedly in the habit of walking on the line when he didn't need to". Tragically, no one challenged him about it.
4.To call something into question or dispute.
- New information challenged old hypotheses.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #972
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Uncommon
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
From Middle English chalenge, variant with palatalization of Middle English kalange (“an accusation, claim”), from Old French chalenge, chalonge, palatalized Central French variants of Old Northern French calenge, calonge (see Continental Norman calengier), from Latin calumnia (“a false accusation, calumny”).