| 释义 |
▪ I. † contest, n.1 Obs.
[app. repr. a med.L. *contestis joint witness, f. con- together + testis witness.]
A joint witness.
1551in Foxe A. & M. VI. 198 The said deponent, with his contest James Basset, spake with his grace in the gallery. 1563Ibid. (ed. 1) 713 What wordes and sentences they then herd, who was with them there as contests. [1602T. Fitzherbert Apol. 13 a, When the said evidence is not so manifest, two witnesses at least are required and the same to be contestes, that is..affirming one and the same thing.]
▪ II. contest, n.2|ˈkɒntɛst|
[app. f. contest v. (and originally having the same stress); but cf. mod.F. conteste, not in Cotgr. 1611, but quoted by Littré, in phrase sans conteste, from Molière 1654.]
1. Strife in argument, keen controversy, dispute, debate, wordy war. † without contest: without dispute, incontestably.
1643Denham Cooper's Hill 69 Though this of old no less contest did move, Than when for Homer's Birth seven Cities strove. 1667Milton P.L. ix. 1189 And of thir vain contest appeer'd no end. 1707E. Ward Hud. Rediv. (1715) II. ix, He was, without Contest, As grand a Rebel as the best. 1750Johnson Rambler No. 40 ⁋3 When the contest happens to rise high between men of genius and learning. 1780Cowper Rep. Adjudged Case 1 Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose. 1784― Task iii. 161 Great contest follows, and much learned dust Involves the combatants.
2. Struggle for victory, for a desired object, or in defence; conflict, strife, contention.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. (1843) 13/1 He [Buckingham] was of a courage not to be daunted, which was manifested..in his contests with particular persons of the greatest reputation. 1665Manley Grotius's Low C. Warres 215 In the event of this Contest, it is very remarkable, that..there was not one considerable Ship lost. 1780Burke Sp. declining Poll Wks. III. 433 The worthy gentleman, who has been snatched from us at the moment of the election, and in the middle of the contest. 1797T. Bewick Brit. Birds (1847) I. 270 A contest commences..between the Cuckoos for the possession of the nest. 1839Thirlwall Greece IV. 55 The assistance they could hope to receive from Athens in their contest with the enemy. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. II. xv. 161 The dogs are carefully trained not to engage in contest with the bear.
3. Amicable conflict, as between competitors for a prize or distinction; competition.
1647Crashaw Poems 4 O sweet contest; of woes With loves, of tears with smiles disporting. 1752Johnson Rambler No. 205 ⁋6 As the evening approached, the contest [for prizes] grew more earnest. 1839Thirlwall Greece IV. 421 Many of the late competitors returned to the contest. 1875Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 87 In musical contests there shall be one set of judges of solo singing or playing.
▪ III. contest, v.|kənˈtɛst|
[a. F. conteste-r ‘to call or take to witnesse, make an earnest protestation or complaint vnto; also to brable, argue, debate a matter with; also to denie, gainesay, contest against’ (Cotgr. 1611), = It. contestare ‘to strive, debate’ (Florio 1598), Pr. and Sp. contestar. The original source is L. contestārī to take or call to witness (f. con- + testārī to be a witness, bear witness, f. testis a witness); thence the legal phrase contestārī lītem, to introduce a lawsuit by calling witnesses, to bring an action; whence the modern sense. The Fr. vb. appears to have taken its senses partly from the orig. L., and partly from the Italian; and is followed in both by the Eng.]
I. Senses connected with L. contestārī to take to witness. Obs.
†1. trans. To assert or confirm with the witness of an oath, to swear to (a fact or statement). Obs.
1579J. Stubbes Gaping Gulf D ij b, Oathes and sworn promises contested at theyr high altar of their masse. 1613Heywood Brazen Age i. Wks. 1874 III. 174 As we are Oeneus the ætolians King... So we contest we make her here the prize Of the proud victor.
†2. To witness to, attest; to bear corroborative testimony to; to attest along with another. rare.
1591Drayton Moses 1, For thy faire brow apparently contests The currant stamp of a cleane nuptial bed. 1649Selden Laws Eng. i. xxxvii. (1739) 56 The Oath of the party suspected, and the concurrent testimony of other men: The first attesting his own innocency, the other contesting their Consciences of the truth of the former testimony.
†3. To call to witness, take to witness, adjure; to address with a solemn appeal, charge, etc. Obs.
1609Bible (Douay) Ps. lxxx. 9 Heare o my people: and I wil contest thee. 1611― Ex. xix. 21 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Goe downe, charge [marg., Heb. contest] the people. 1621Ainsworth Annot. Pentat. (1639) 69 Paul used to Contest (or charge) before God and His Angels.
†b. intr. To bear witness, ‘testify’, make a solemn appeal or protest. Obs.
1607Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr. ii. v. 35 Ioab displeaseth Dauid, when he contesteth against the numbring of the people. 1609Bible (Douay) Amos iii. 13 Heare ye, and contest in the house of Jacob, sayth our Lord.
II. Senses originating in L. contestārī lītem.
4. intr. To contend or strive (with or against) in argument; to dispute or debate keenly, wrangle.
1603Holland Plutarch's Mor. 53 To argue and refute him by arguments contending and contesting against that which hath beene said. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts 2 Tim. iii. 8 Jannes and Jambres..resisted Moses and contested with him in the message he brought from God. 1667Milton P.L. x. 756 Inexplicable Thy Justice seems; yet to say truth, too late I thus contest. a1715Burnet (J.), The difficulty of an argument adds to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory. 1829Southey Sir T. More I. 349 He dared not contest obstinately against persons of quality, who would be offended by his discourse.
5. trans. To argue or debate (a point, etc.); to argue against, dispute, controvert, call in question.
1663Gerbier Counsel 107 Can such a one contest the Divine decree? 1697Dryden Virg. Past. Pref. (1721) I. 91 A fifth Rule (which one may hope will not be contested). 1751–73Jortin Eccl. Hist. (R.), The excellence of Christian morality will not be contested by fair and candid adversaries. 1845S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. I. 339 He contested the right of the pope to dispense them. 1859Mill Liberty ii. 37 With every opportunity for contesting it, it has not been refuted.
6. intr. To strive or contend (in a general sense).
a1618Raleigh Rem. (1644) 73 Have we not the Kings eares, who dares contest with us? 1647W. Browne Polex. ii. 293 Contest no more against what is just, and be not guilty of your owne death. a1711Ken Preparatives Poet. Wks. 1721 IV. 38 Tell me how we best With Trouble and Temptation may contest. 1733Pope Ess. Man iii. 303 For Forms of Government let Fools contest. 1863Ruskin Munera P. (1880) 132 No form of government..is, as such, to be either condemned or praised, or contested for in any⁓wise, but by fools.
7. trans. To contend, struggle, or fight for; to dispute with arms.
a1626Bacon Polit. Fables ix, The matter was contested by single combat. 1818Southey Fun. Song P'cess Charlotte, Mournful was that Edward's fame, Won in fields contested well. 1868Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. x. 480 Every defensible spot of ground was stoutly contested by the Britons. 1874Green Short Hist. ii. §4. 77 There was none of the house of Godwine to contest the crown.
b. To oppose with arms, fight against.
1764Goldsm. Trav. 89 Yet these each other's power so strong contest, That either seems destructive of the rest.
c. with cognate object.
1614Raleigh Hist. World ii. xiii. 8 The Warre which before-time they had contested with Gideon. 1841Elphinstone Hist. Ind. I. 533 It was better contested than might have been expected from the unequal skill of the generals.
8. intr. To contend in rivalry, vie, compete (with).
1607Shakes. Cor. iv. v. 116, I..do contest As hotly and as nobly with thy Loue, As euer in ambitious strength I did Contend against thy Valour. 1725Pope Odyss. (J.), Of man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest.
9. trans. To contend for in emulation.
1725Pope Odyss. xxi. 144 Accept the tryal, and the prize contest. 1832Lander Adv. Niger I. vi. 244 The race was well contested. 1888Morley Burke 16 That he contested Adam Smith's chair of moral philosophy at Glasgow along with Hume.
†b. To set in competition or rivalry. Obs. rare.
1681Cotton Wond. Peak (ed. 4) 13 A great transparent pillar..such a one as Nature does contest..With all the obelisks of antique Greece. |