Contend

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: con=tend

CIDE DICTIONARY

Contend, v. i. [OF. contendre, L. contendere, -tentum; con- + tendere to strech. See Tend.].

•  To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.  [1913 Webster]

  "For never two such kingdoms did contend
  Without much fall of blood."  [1913 Webster]

  "The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle."  [1913 Webster]

  "In ambitious strength I did
  Contend against thy valor."  [1913 Webster]
•  To struggle or exert one's self to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.  [1913 Webster]

  "You sit above, and see vain men below
  Contend for what you only can bestow."  [1913 Webster]
•  To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.  [1913 Webster]

  "The question which our author would contend for."  [1913 Webster]

  "Many things he fiercely contended about were trivial."

Syn. -- To struggle; fight; combat; vie; strive; oppose; emulate; contest; litigate; dispute; debate.

Contend, v. t. 

 To struggle for; to contest.  [1913 Webster]
"Carthage shall contend the world with Rome.Dryden."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Contend, v.
1 intr. (usu. foll. by with) strive, fight.
2 intr. compete (contending emotions).
3 tr. (usu. foll. by that + clause) assert, maintain.

Derivative

contender n.

Etymology

OF contendre or L contendere (as com-, tendere tent- stretch, strive)

THESAURUS

Contend

affirm, agonize, allege, announce, annunciate, antagonize, argue, argufy, assert, assever, asseverate, aver, avouch, avow, bandy words, battle, beat against, beat up against, bicker, bicker over, box, brawl, breast the wave, broil, brook no denial, buck, buffet, buffet the waves, bump heads, cavil, charge, choplogic, claim, clash, close, close with, collide, combat, come to blows, compete with, confront, contend about, contend against, contest, contrapose, contraposit, contrast, cope with, counteract, cross swords, cut and thrust, declare, defend, dictate, discept, dispute, duel, encounter, enjoin, enunciate, exchange blows, express, face, fence, feud, fight, fight a duel, fight against, fight over, front, give and take, give satisfaction, grapple, grapple with, grunt and sweat, hassle, have, have it out, hold, huff and puff, insist, insist on, insist upon, issue a manifesto, join battle with, join issue, jostle, joust, justify, labor against, lay down, lie opposite, lock horns, logomachize, maintain, manifesto, match, meet, meet head-on, militate against, mix it up, moot, offer resistance, oppose, oppugn, persist, pettifog, plead, polarize, polemicize, polemize, pose against, predicate, prescribe, press, proclaim, profess, pronounce, protest, put, put in opposition, put it, quarrel, quarrel over, quibble, rassle, reluct, reluctate, report, resist, riot, rival, run a tilt, say, scramble, scuffle, set down, set over against, skirmish, spar, speak, speak out, speak up, squabble over, stand, stand for, stand on, stand opposed, stand opposite, state, stem the tide, stick to, strive, strive against, struggle, struggle against, submit, subtend, take issue with, take no denial, take on, take sides, tell, thrash out, thrust and parry, tilt, tourney, try conclusions, tug, tussle, urge, vie, vie with, vindicate, wage war, war, warrant, withstand, wrangle, wrangle over, wrestle

ROGET THESAURUS

Contend

Opposition

VB oppose, counteract, run counter to, withstand, control, hinder, antagonize, oppugn, fly in the face of, go dead against, kick against, fall afoul of, run afoul of, set against, pit against, face, confront, cope with, make a stand, make a dead set against, set oneself against, set one's face against, protest against, vote against, raise one's voice against, disfavor, turn one's back upon, set at naught, slap in the face, slam the door in one's face, be at cross purposes, play at cross purposes, counterwork, countermine, thwart, overthwart, work against, undermine, stem, breast, encounter, stem the tide, breast the tide, stem the current, stem the flood, buffet the waves, beat up against, make head against, grapple with, kick against the pricks, contend, do battle with, do battle against, contradict, contravene, belie, go against, run against, beat against, militate against, come in conflict with, emulate, rival, spoil one's trade.

Contention

VB contend, contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle, spar, square, exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs, fib, justle, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence, skirmish, pickeer, fight, wrangle, contend with, grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush, with, tilt with, encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw, run a tilt at, oppose, reluct, join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand, take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet, enter the lists, couch one's lance, give satisfaction, appeal to arms, lay about one, break the peace, compete with, cope with, vie with, race with, outvie, emulate, rival, run a race, contend for, stipulate for, stickle for, insist upon, make a point of.

Warfare

VB arm, raise troops, mobilize troops, raise up in arms, take up the cudgels, take up arms, fly to arms, appeal to arms, fly to the sword, draw the sword, unsheathe the sword, dig up the hatchet, dig up the tomahawk, go to war, wage war, let slip the dogs of war, cry havoc, kindle the torch of war, light the torch of war, raise one's banner, raise the fire cross, hoist the black flag, throw away, fling away the scabbard, enroll, enlist, take the field, take the law into one's own hands, do battle, give battle, join battle, engage in battle, go to battle, flesh one's sword, set to, fall to, engage, measure swords with, draw the trigger, cross swords, come to blows, come to close quarters, fight, combat, contend, battle with, break a lance with, raise the jolly roger, run up the jolly roger, serve, see service, be on service, be on active service, campaign, wield the sword, shoulder a musket, smell powder, be under fire, spill blood, imbrue the hands in blood, on the warpath, carry on war, carry on hostilities, keep the field, fight the good fight, fight it out, fight like devils, fight one's way, fight hand to hand, sell one's life dearly, pay the ferryman's fee.

Reasoning,

VB reason, argue, discuss, debate, dispute, wrangle, argufy, bandy words, bandy arguments, chop logic, hold an argument, carry on an argument, controvert, canvass, comment upon, moralize upon, spiritualize, consider, open a discussion, open a case, try conclusions, join issue, be at issue, moot, come to the point, stir a question, agitate a question, ventilate a question, torture a question, take up a side, take up a case, contend, take one's stand upon, insist, lay stress on, infer, follow from.

Affirmation

VB assert, make an assertion, have one's say, say, affirm, predicate, declare, state, protest, profess, put forth, put forward, advance, allege, propose, propound, enunciate, broach, set forth, hold out, maintain, contend, pronounce, pretend, depose, depone, aver, avow, avouch, asseverate, swear, make oath, take one's oath, make an affidavit, swear an affidavit, put in an affidavit, take one's Bible oath, kiss the book, vow, vitam impendere vero, swear till one is black in the face, swear till one is blue in the face, swear till all's blue, be sworn, call Heaven to witness, vouch, warrant, certify, assure, swear by bell book and candle, swear by, insist upon, take one's stand upon, emphasize, lay stress on, assert roundly, assert positively, lay down, lay down the law, raise one's voice, dogmatize, have the last word, rap out, repeat, reassert, reaffirm, announce, acknowledge, attest, adjure.