[en.coun.ter] vb en.coun.tered ; en.coun.ter.ing [ME encountren, fr. MF encontrer, fr. ML incontrare, fr. LL incontra toward, fr. L in- + contra against--more at counter] vt (14c) 1 a: to meet as an adversary or enemy b: to engage in conflict with
2: to come upon face-to-face
3: to come upon esp. unexpectedly ~ vi: to meet esp. by chance
[2]encounter n (14c) 1 a: a meeting esp. between hostile factions or persons b: a sudden often violent clash: combat
2. a: a chance meeting b: a direct often momentary meeting
3: a coming into the vicinity of a celestial body "the Martian ~ of a spacecraft"