ˈkäŋkə(r) sometimes ˈkȯŋkə(r) verb
( conquered ; conquered ; conquering -k(ə)riŋ ; conquers )
Etymology: Middle English conqueren, from Old French conquerre, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin conquaerere, alteration (influenced by Latin quaerere to ask, search) of Latin conquirere to search for, bring together, from com- + -quirere (from quaerere )
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to procure by effort : acquire , get , gain
2. : to gain or acquire by force of arms : take possession of by violent means : gain dominion over : subjugate
3. : to overcome by force of arms : vanquish
if we be conquer'd let men conquer us — Shakespeare
4. : to gain or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition : gain mastery over (as by exploration, penetration, or surmounting)
the mountain was conquered
5. : to subdue or overcome by mental or moral power : surmount
conquer difficulties
conquer her fear
intransitive verb
: to gain the victory : make conquests : be victorious
resolved to conquer or to die
hail the conquering hero
Synonyms:
: defeat , vanquish , overcome , surmount , subdue , subjugate , reduce , overthrow , rout , beat , lick : these verbs are all of a kind in signifying to get the better of or bring to subjection. conquer and defeat are perhaps the most general. defeat usually signifies merely the fact of getting the better of or winning against
the enemy were successfully defeated
he defeated the older man in the tennis tournament
a distortion of the news picture which defeats the whole purpose to which our system is committed — F.L.Mott
conquer , however, usually implies a large and significant action as of a large force in war or an action involving an all-inclusive effort and a more or less permanent result
Caesar conquered most of Gaul
culture conquers more surely than the sword — A.M.Young
science has conquered yellow fever — American Guide Series: Louisiana
the 21-year-old Englishman who conquered the most dangerous river in the world — New York Times Book Review
vanquish suggests a significant action of a certain dignity usually in the defeat of a person rather than a thing and usually carrying the suggestion of complete defeat
to overthrow the enemy solely by his own strength — to vanquish him solely by his own effort — Lafcadio Hearn
to vanquish an opponent in a championship match at tennis
overcome usually implies an opposing, more or less fixed obstacle to be dealt with
to overcome the enemy's shore fortifications
overcoming difficult legal obstacles — Americana Annual
using the airlift to overcome the blockade — Collier's Year Book
to overcome a speech defect
surmount , like overcome, implies an opposing, more or less fixed obstacle but carries the idea of surpassing or exceeding rather than overcoming in face-to-face conflict
the technical problems to be surmounted — K.F.Mather
many petty faults which he is apparently unable to surmount — New Republic
Simon … has an inner force that is capable of surmounting conditions — Malcolm Cowley
subdue , subjugate , and reduce all throw emphasis upon the condition of subjection resulting from defeat. subdue signifies to bring under control by or as if by overpowering
in 1803 Commodore Edward Preble subdued the Barbary Coast pirates — American Guide Series: Maine
in their last century of conquest they almost succeeded in subduing the whole island — Paul Blanshard
all violence or recklessness of feeling has been finally subdued — Willa Cather
the wilderness had been almost completely subdued by cutting down the forests and building roads and cities
subjugate signifies to bring into and keep in subjection, often as a slave is in subjection
authoritarian reaction which overwhelmed Italy and subjugated it for two centuries — R.A.Hall b.1911
the heart and imagination subjugating the senses and understanding — Matthew Arnold
reduce signifies surrender and submission but usually of a town or fortress under attack or siege
the town and finally the province were reduced by the invaders
overthrow is much like overcome but carries the strong idea of disaster to the overthrown
to overthrow the established government by violence
to get swiftly through the field of fire and pierce and overthrow the enemy lines — Tom Wintringham
a huge body of evidence … completely overthrows the older view — Meanjin
rout always suggests a defeat so complete as to cause flight or the complete dispersion of the opposition
twelve hundred French and a large force of Indians … were intercepted … and utterly routed, only 200 of the French escaping capture or death — R.W.Bingham
Weaver with the assistance of two other gunboats routed a large force of Texas cavalry when they attacked Fort Butler — L.H.Bolander
beat and lick are mainly characteristic of a different style of expression or level of usage than the preceding verbs. beat means the same as and is as comprehensive as defeat but usually applies to smaller, less significant actions than, say, conquer or vanquish
the local ball team won the state championship by beating all comers
lick , a more informal word for defeat , usually implies the complete humbling or humiliation of the person defeated
the fighter must be confirmed in the belief that he can lick anybody in the world — A.J.Liebling
with the problem growing, the railroads have redoubled their efforts to lick it — William Faulkner