-rən(t)s noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
1. : permanence , duration
a political confederacy of variable endurance — Fredrik Barth
2.
a.
(1) : the ability to withstand hardship or tribulation
the great physical endurance of mountain troops
(2) : the ability of a person or thing to continue to perform especially under adverse conditions
the five-mile cross-country stretch … becomes under these conditions a supreme test of endurance — Frank Weldon
endurance swimming
b.
(1) : the power of holding out : stamina
a hike beyond the endurance of most of us
(2) : the capability of acting with moral courage and strength : fortitude
the indescribable look of high endurance , which used to mark the sailing-ship seamen — John Masefield
3. : suffering
the endurance of the inequalities of life by the poor is the marvel of human society — J.A.Froude
4. : an instance of enduring (as hardship or tribulation) : trial
all these grim sights of tragic birth and tragic death, and the deep solitary endurances among the beasts of the field — J.C.Powys
5. : the maximum time of performance, function, or operation especially at an efficient level ; specifically : the maximum length of time an aircraft can remain in the air under given conditions without refueling