— contestable , adj. — contestableness , n. — contestably , adv. — contester , n. — contestingly , adv.
n. /kon"test/ ; v. /keuhn test"/ , n.
1. a race, conflict, or other competition between rivals, as for a prize.
2. struggle for victory or superiority.
3. strife in argument; dispute; controversy: Their marriage was marred by perpetual contest.
v.t.
4. to struggle or fight for, as in battle.
5. to argue against; dispute: to contest a controversial question; to contest a will.
6. to call in question: They contested his right to speak.
7. to contend for in rivalry.
v.i.
8. to dispute; contend; compete.
[ 1595-1605; (v.) contestari to call to witness (in a lawsuit), equiv. to con- CON- + testari to TESTIFY, deriv. of testis witness; (n.) deriv. of the v., or conteste ]
Syn. 1. contention, rivalry, match, tournament, tourney, game. 2. battle, encounter. See fight. 3. debate, polemic, altercation. 4. See compete. 5. controvert, oppose. 6. challenge. 7. strive, compete, vie.