challenge
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒ/
ipa: /ˈt͡ʃæl.ənd͡ʒ/
Forms: form: challenges
form: challenging
form: challenged
form: challenged
Etymology: From Middle English chalenge, variant with palatalization of Middle English kalange (“an accusation, claim”), from Old French chalenge, chalonge, palatalized Central French variants of Old Northern French calenge, calonge (see Continental Norman calengier), from Latin calumnia (“a false accusation, calumny”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₁l-, *keh₁l- (“to beguile, deceive”). Cognate with Old English hōl (“calumny”). Doublet of calumny.
Senses: examples: text: We challenged the boys next door to a game of football.
text: By this I challenge him to single fight.
ref: c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv]:
glosses: To invite (someone) to take part in a competition.
examples: text: [...] For I challenge any Man to make any pretence to Power by Right of Fatherhood, either intelligible or poſſible in any one, otherwiſe, then either as Adams heir, or as Progenitor over his own deſcendants, naturally ſprung from him.
ref: 1689 December (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Who Heir?”, in Two Treatises of Government: […], London: […] Awnsham Churchill, […], →OCLC, book I, paragraph 149, page 194:
glosses: To dare (someone).
examples: text: to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation
text: In the April 2020 Roade fatality, the worker who died "was reputedly in the habit of walking on the line when he didn't need to". Tragically, no one challenged him about it.
ref: 2022 August 10, Dr Mike Esbester, “New understandings from old incidents”, in RAIL, number 963, page 58:
glosses: To dispute (something); to contest.
examples: text: New information challenged old hypotheses.
glosses: To call something into question or dispute.
topics: law
glosses: To make a formal objection to a juror.
examples: text: Before moving onto the content of Hobson-Jobson, an explication of the publication history is necessary since this has clearly challenged many commentators.
ref: 2018, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, →DOI, page 487:
glosses: To be difficult or challenging for.
examples: text: Challenge better terms.
ref: 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 3:
glosses: To claim as due; to demand as a right.
examples: text: I may be more challenged for my inconsiderate Boldness
ref: 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “(please specify |book=I to XXXVII)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], (please specify |tome=1 or 2), London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC:
glosses: To censure; to blame.
examples: text: The sentinel challenged us with "Who goes there?"
topics: government
military
politics
war
glosses: To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines).
glosses: To object to the reception of the vote of, e.g. on the ground that the person is not qualified as a voter.
examples: text: I mean if you go in and want to challenge an exam it cost you half of your course money. If you don't pass the exam, that money is credited toward taking the course. What have you got to lose to challenge an exam, or do a competency exam?
ref: 1996, Senate Legislative Record ... Legislature State of Maine:
text: The only time I went to class was to challenge an exam. My marks were good. But there was one class I never missed, “Nursing Process and the New Philosophy in Nursing.”
ref: 1997, Carol Gino, The Nurse's Story:
text: Although we strongly recommend that you keep practicing until your scores top the 75% mark, 80% would be a good goal, to give yourself some margin for error in a real exam situation[…]. After you hit that point, you should be ready to challenge the exam.
ref: 2006, Diana Huggins, Exam/cram 70-291: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, page 2:
glosses: To take (a final exam) in order to get credit for a course without taking it.
Synonyms: becall
call out
Related terms: challenger
challenging
dechallenge
rechallenge