Challenge

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: chal=lenge

CIDE DICTIONARY

Challenge, n. [OE. chalenge claim, accusation, challenge, OF. chalenge, chalonge, claim, accusation, contest, fr. L. calumnia false accusation, chicanery. See Calumny.].

•  An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.  [1913 Webster]

  "A challenge to controversy."  [1913 Webster]
•  The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign.  [1913 Webster]
•  A claim or demand.  [1913 Webster]

  "There must be no challenge of superiority."  [1913 Webster]
•  The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.  [1913 Webster]
•  An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause.  Blackstone  [1913 Webster]
•  An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered.  [1913 Webster]

Challenge to the array (Law), an exception to the whole panel. -- Challenge to the favor, the alleging a special cause, the sufficiency of which is to be left to those whose duty and office it is to decide upon it. -- Challenge to the polls, an exception taken to any one or more of the individual jurors returned. -- Peremptory challenge, a privilege sometimes allowed to defendants, of challenging a certain number of jurors (fixed by statute in different States) without assigning any cause. -- Principal challenge, that which the law allows to be sufficient if found to be true.

Challenge, v. t. [OE. chalengen to accuse, claim, OF. chalengier, chalongier, to claim, accuse, dispute, fr. L. calumniar to attack with false accusations. See Challenge, n., and cf. Calumniate.].

•  To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy.  [1913 Webster]

  "I challenge any man to make any pretense to power by right of fatherhood."  [1913 Webster]
•  To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat.  [1913 Webster]

  "By this I challenge him to single fight."  [1913 Webster]
•  To claim as due; to demand as a right.  [1913 Webster]

  "Challenge better terms."  [1913 Webster]
•  To censure; to blame.  [1913 Webster]

  "He complained of the emperors . . . and challenged them for that he had no greater revenues . . . from them."  [1913 Webster]
•  To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with “Who comes there?”  [1913 Webster]
•  To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation.  [1913 Webster]
•  To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court.  [1913 Webster]
•  To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter.  [1913 Webster]

To challenge to the array, favor, polls. See under Challenge, n.

Challenge, v. i. 

 To assert a right; to claim a place.  [1913 Webster]
"Where nature doth with merit challenge."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Challenge, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a summons to take part in a contest or a trial of strength etc., esp. to a duel. b a summons to prove or justify something.
2 a demanding or difficult task (rose to the challenge of the new job).
3 Law an objection made to a jury member.
4 a call to respond, esp. a sentry's call for a password etc.
5 an invitation to a sporting contest, esp. one issued to a reigning champion.
6 Med. a test of immunity after immunization treatment.
--v.tr.
1 (often foll. by to + infin.) a invite to take part in a contest, game, debate, duel, etc. b invite to prove or justify something.
2 dispute, deny (I challenge that remark).
3 a stretch, stimulate (challenges him to produce his best). b (as challenging adj.) demanding; stimulatingly difficult.
4 (of a sentry) call to respond.
5 claim (attention, etc.).
6 Law object to (a jury member, evidence, etc.).
7 Med. test by a challenge.

Derivative

challengeable adj. challenger n.

Etymology

ME f. OF c(h)alenge, c(h)alenger f. L calumnia calumniari calumny

THESAURUS

Challenge

Socratic method, affront, arouse, ask, ask for, asking, attack, awake a doubt, awaken, baffle, balk, banter, battle cry, be contrary to, be diffident, be doubtful, be dubious, be skeptical, be uncertain, beard, beef, belie, bestir, bid defiance, bid to combat, bitch, blackmail, blast, boggle, boycott, brave, breast, bring before, bring forward, bring up, bringing into question, bucking, call, call for, call in question, call into question, call out, calling, cartel, catechetical method, catechization, catechizing, challenge, checkmate, circumvent, claim, claiming, clamor for, combative reaction, compete, compete with, complain, complain loudly, complaint, compunction, confound, confront, confront with, confrontation, contend with, contention, contest, contradict, contradiction, contravention, contraversion, controvert, cope, counter, counteract, counteraction, countermand, counterwork, counterworking, cross, crosscurrent, crossing, cry for, cry out against, dare, dash, declaration of war, declare war, defeat, defi, defiance, defy, demand, demanding, demonstrate, demonstrate against, demonstration, demur, demurral, demurrer, denial, deny, destroy, difficulty, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, dish, dispute, dissent, dissentience, distrust, double dare, double-dare, doubt, elude, emulate, encounter, enter a protest, envisage, exact, exacting, examination, exception, expostulate, expostulation, extort, face, face down, face out, face up to, face with, flummox, foil, fractiousness, front, frustrate, gage, gage of battle, gainsay, gauntlet, glove, greet with skepticism, grievance, grievance committee, half believe, harbor suspicions, have reservations, head wind, holler, howl, impose, impugn, impugnation, impugnment, indent, indignation meeting, inquiring, insistence, interpellation, interrogation, invitation, invite, issue an ultimatum, jockey, kick, kick against, kindle, knock the chocks, lay before, lay claim to, levy, levy war on, make a demand, make a stand, make war on, march, meet, meet head-on, meet squarely, misgive, mistrust, negate, negation, negativism, noncooperation, nonplus, nonviolent protest, object, object to, objection, obstinacy, offer resistance, open hostilities, oppose, opposing, opposition, opposure, oppugn, oppugnation, order, order up, outdare, outvie, passive resistance, perplex, picket, picketing, place an order, place before, postulate, present to, press objections, pretend to, probing, problem, protest, protest demonstration, protestation, provocation, provoke, pumping, put in requisition, put it to, qualm, query, querying, question, questioning, quiz, quizzing, raise a howl, raise a question, rally, reaction, rebel yell, rebuff, rebut, rebutment, rebuttal, recalcitrance, recalcitrancy, recalcitrate, recalcitration, refractoriness, refusal, reject, rejection, reluct, reluctance, remonstrance, remonstrate, remonstration, renitence, renitency, repellence, repellency, repulse, repulsion, require, requisition, resistance, revolt, rival, rouse, ruin, sabotage, scotch, scream defiance, screw, scruple, seeking, set before, show fight, sit in, sit-in, smell a rat, solicit, spike, spoil, squawk, stand, stand at bay, stand up against, stand up to, standing against, stare down, state a grievance, stem, stimulation, stir, stonewall, strike, strive, strive against, struggle, stump, summon, summons, suspect, take exception to, teach in, teach-in, test, test one another, throw doubt upon, thwart, traversal, traverse, treat with reserve, trial, try, ultimatum, uncooperativeness, undercurrent, upset, venture, vie, vie with, wake, waken, war cry, war whoop, warn, whet, withstand, withstanding, yell bloody murder

ROGET THESAURUS

Challenge

Defiance

N defiance, daring, dare, challenge, cartel, threat, war cry, war whoop, chest-beating, chest-thumping, saber rattling, defiant, defying, with 'with arms akimbo', in defiance of, in the teeth of, under one's very nose, Int, do your worst!, come if you dare!, come on!, marry come up!, hoity toity!, noli me tangere, nemo me impune lacessit, don't tread on me, don't you dare, don't even think of it, Go ahead, make my day!.

VB defy, dare, beard, brave, bid defiance to, set at defiance, set at naught, hurl defiance at, dance the war dance, beat the war drums, snap the fingers at, laugh to scorn, disobey, show fight, show one's teeth, show a bold front, bluster, look big, stand akimbo, beat one's chest, double the fist, shake the fist, threaten, challenge, call out, throw down the gauntlet, fling down the gauntlet, fling down the gage, fling down the glove, throw down the glove.

Dueness

VB be due, to, be the due, of, have right to, have title to, have claim to, be entitled to, have a claim upon, belong to, deserve, merit, be worthy of, richly deserve, demand, claim, call upon for, come upon for, appeal to for, revendicate, reclaim, exact, insist on, insist upon, challenge, take one's stand, make a point of, require, lay claim to, assert, assume, arrogate, make good, substantiate, vindicate a claim, vindicate a right, fit for, qualify for, make out a case, give a right, confer a right, entitle, authorize, sanctify, legalize, ordain, prescribe, allot, give every one his due, pay one's dues, have one's due, have one's rights, use a right, assert, enforce, put in force, lay under contribution.

Accusation

N accusation, charge, imputation, slur, inculpation, exprobration, delation, crimination, incrimination, accrimination, recrimination, tu quoque argument, invective, denunciation, denouncement, libel, challenge, citation, arraignment, impeachment, appeachment, indictment, bill of indictment, true bill, lawsuit, condemnation, gravamen of a charge, head and front of one's offending, argumentum ad hominem, scandal, scandalum magnatum, accuser, prosecutor, plaintiff, relator, informer, appellant, accused, defendant, prisoner, perpetrator, panel, respondent, litigant, accusing, accusatory, accusative, imputative, denunciatory, recriminatory, criminatory, accused, suspected, under suspicion, under a cloud, under surveillance, in custody, in detention, in the lockup, in the watch house, in the house of detention, accusable, imputable, indefensible, inexcusable, unpardonable, unjustifiable, vicious, Int, look at home, tu quoque, the breath of accusation kills an innocent name, thou can'st not say I did it.

VB accuse, charge, tax, impute, twit, taunt with, reproach, brand with reproach, stigmatize, slur, cast a stone at, cast a slur on, incriminate, criminate, inculpate, implicate, call to account, take to blame, take to task, put in the black book, inform against, indict, denounce, arraign, impeach, appeach, have up, show up, pull up, challenge, cite, lodge a complaint, prosecute, bring an action against, blow upon, charge with, saddle with, lay to one's door, lay charge, lay the blame on, bring home to, cast in one's teeth, throw in one's teeth, cast the first stone at, have a rod in pickle for, keep a rod in pickle for, have a crow to pluck with, trump up a charge.

Inquiry

N inquiry, request, search, research, quest, pursuit, examination, review, scrutiny, investigation, indagation, perquisition, perscrutation, pervestigation, inquest, inquisition, exploration, exploitation, ventilation, sifting, calculation, analysis, dissection, resolution, induction, Baconian method, strict inquiry, close inquiry, searching inquiry, exhaustive inquiry, narrow search, strict search, study, scire facias, ad referendum, trial, questioning, interrogation, interrogatory, interpellation, challenge, examination, cross-examination, catechism, feeler, Socratic method, zetetic philosophy, leading question, discussion, reconnoitering, reconnaissance, prying, espionage, espionnage, domiciliary visit, peep behind the curtain, lantern of Diogenes, question, query, problem, desideratum, point to be solved, porism, subject of inquiry, field of inquiry, subject of controversy, point in dispute, matter in dispute, moot point, issue, question at issue, bone of contention, plain question, fair question, open question, enigma, knotty point, quodlibet, threshold of an inquiry, inquirer, investigator, inquisitor, inspector, querist, examiner, catechist, scrutator scrutineer scrutinizer, analyst, quidnunc, inquiry, inquisitive, requisitive, requisitory, catechetical, inquisitorial, analytic, in search of, in quest of, on the lookout for, interrogative, zetetic, all searching, undetermined, untried, undecided, in question, in dispute, in issue, in course of inquiry, under discussion, under consideration, under investigation, sub judice, moot, proposed, doubtful, quaere?, what?, why?, wherefore?, whence?, whither?, where?, how comes it?, how happens it?, how is it?, what is the reason?, what's the matter?, nicht wahr?, what's in the wind?, what on earth?, when?, who?.

Doubt

VB disbelieve, discredit, not believe, misbelieve, refuse to admit, refuse to believe, doubt, be doubtful, doubt the truth of, be skeptical as to, diffide, distrust, mistrust, suspect, smoke, scent, smell a rat, have doubts, harbor doubts, entertain doubts, suspicions, have one's doubts, demure, stick at, pause, hesitate, scruple, stop to consider, waver, hang in suspense, hang in doubt, throw doubt upon, raise a question, bring in, call in question, question, challenge, dispute, deny, cavil, cause a doubt, raise a doubt, start a doubt, suggest a doubt, awake a doubt, make suspicion, ergotize, startle, stagger, shake one's faith, shake one's belief, stagger one's faith, stagger one's belief.