(~s, challenging, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination.
I like a big ~ and they don’t come much bigger than this...
The new government’s first ~ is the economy.
N-VAR
2.
If someone rises to the ~, they act in response to a difficult situation which is new to them and are successful.
The new Germany must rise to the ~ of its enhanced responsibilities...
PHRASE: V inflects
3.
A ~ to something is a questioning of its truth or value. A ~ to someone is a questioning of their authority.
The demonstrators have now made a direct ~ to the authority of the government.
N-VAR: oft N to n
4.
If you ~ ideas or people, you question their truth, value, or authority.
Democratic leaders have ~d the president to sign the bill...
The move was immediately ~d by two of the republics...
I ~d him on the hypocrisy of his political attitudes.
VERB: V n to-inf, be V-ed, V n on/about n, also V with quote, V n
5.
If you ~ someone, you invite them to fight or compete with you in some way.
A mum slashed a neighbour’s car tyre and ~d her to a fight after their daughters fell out...
He left a note at the scene of the crime, challenging detectives to catch him...
We ~d a team who called themselves ‘College Athletes’.
VERB: V n to n, V n to-inf, V n
•
Challenge is also a noun.
A third presidential candidate emerged to mount a serious ~ and throw the campaign wide open.
N-COUNT
6.
see also ~d , challenging