noun , verb
■ noun / ˈkɒntest; NAmE ˈkɑːn-/
1.
a competition in which people try to win sth :
a singing contest
a talent contest
to enter / win / lose a contest
—see also beauty contest
2.
contest (for sth) a struggle to gain control or power :
a contest for the leadership of the party
•
IDIOMS
- be no contest
■ verb / kənˈtest/ [ vn ]
1.
to take part in a competition, election, etc. and try to win it :
Three candidates contested the leadership.
a hotly / fiercely / keenly contested game (= one in which the players try very hard to win and the scores are close)
2.
to formally oppose a decision or statement because you think it is wrong :
to contest a will (= try to show that it was not correctly made in law)
The divorce was not contested.
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense swear to, attest ): from Latin contestari call upon to witness, initiate (by calling witnesses), from con- together + testare to witness. The senses wrangle, struggle for arose in the early 17th cent., which gave rise to the current noun and verb senses.