Roget's Thesaurus

#720. Contention

Nouns

contention, strife; contest, contestation; struggle; belligerency; opposition etc. 708. controversy, polemics; debate etc. (discussion) 476; war of words, logomachy, litigation; paper war; high words etc. (quarrel) 713; sparring etc. v.. competition, rivalry; corrivalry, corrivalship, agonism, concours, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap; regatta; field day; sham fight, Derby day; turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy, gymkhana; boat race, torpids. wrestling, greco-roman wrestling; pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense; spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting; quarterstaff, single stick; gladiatorship, gymnastics; jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti, sumo; athletics, athletic sports; games of skill etc. 840. shindy; fracas etc. (discord) 713; clash of arms; tussle, scuffle, broil, fray; affray, affrayment; velitation; colluctation, luctation; brabble, brigue, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash, bushfighting. free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight. conflict, skirmish; rencounter, encounter; rencontre, collision, affair, brush, fight; battle, battle royal; combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament; tilt, tilting [Mediev.]; tournay, list; pitched battle. death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon. hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war. naval engagement, naumachia, sea fight. duel, duello [It.]; single combat, monomachy, satisfaction, passage d'armes [Fr.], passage of arms, affair of honor; triangular duel; hostile meeting, digladiation; deeds of arms, feats of arms; appeal to arms etc. (warfare) 722. pugnacity; combativeness etc. adj.; bone of contention etc. 713.

Verbs

contend; contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle; spar, square; exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs; fib, justle, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence; skirmish; pickeer; fight etc. (war) 722; wrangle etc. (quarrel) 713. contend with etc., grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush etc. n.. with, tilt with; encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw, run a tilt at; oppose etc. 708; reluct. join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand; take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet; enter the lists; couch one's lance; give satisfaction; appeal to arms; etc. (warfare) 722. lay about one; break the peace. compete with, cope with, vie with, race with; outvie, emulate, rival; run a race; contend for etc., stipulate for, stickle for; insist upon, make a point of.

Adjectives

contending etc. v.; together by the ears, at loggerheads. at war. at issue. competitive, rival; belligerent; contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful; warlike etc. 722; quarrelsome etc. 901; pugnacious; pugilistic, gladiatorial; palestric, palestrical.

Phrases

a verbis ad verbera [Lat.]; a word and a blow; a very pretty quarrel as it stands [Sheridan]; commune periculum concordiam parit [Lat.]; lis litem generat [Lat.].