contest

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A struggle for superiority or victory between rivals.
2. n. A competition, especially one in which entrants perform separately and are rated by judges. See Synonyms at conflict.
3. v. To compete or strive for.
4. v. To call into question and take an active stand against; dispute or challenge: contest a will. See Synonyms at oppose.
5. v. To struggle or compete; contend: contested with other bidders for the antique.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To make a subject of emulation, contention, or dispute; enter into a competition for; compete or strive for: as, to contest a prize; to contest an election (see contested).
2. To contend or strive for in arms; fight or do battle for; strive to win or hold; struggle to defend: as, the troops contested every inch of ground.
3. . To argue in opposition to; controvert; litigate; oppose; call in question; challenge; dispute: as, the advocate contested every point; his right to the property was contested in the courts.
4. Synonyms. To debate, challenge.
5. . To strive; contend; dispute: followed by with.
6. . To vie; strive in rivalry.
7. n. . Strife; struggle for victory or superiority, or in defense; a struggle in arms.
8. n. . Dispute; debate; controversy; strife in argument; disagreement.
9. n. Synonyms Conflict, Combat, etc. (see battle), encounter. See strife.2. Altercation; dissension; quarrel.

Wiktionary

1. n. uncountable Controversy; debate.
2. n. uncountable Struggle for superiority; combat.
3. n. countable A competition.
4. v. intransitive To contend.
5. v. transitive To call into question; to oppose.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To make a subject of dispute, contention, litigation, or emulation; to contend for; to call in question; to controvert; to oppose; to dispute.
2. v. To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to defend.
3. v. (Law) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a suit; to dispute or resist; as a claim, by course of law; to controvert.
4. v. To engage in contention, or emulation; to contend; to strive; to vie; to emulate; -- followed usually by with.
5. n. Earnest dispute; strife in argument; controversy; debate; altercation.
6. n. Earnest struggle for superiority, victory, defense, etc.; competition; emulation; strife in arms; conflict; combat; encounter.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. an occasion on which a winner is selected from among two or more contestants
2. n. a struggle between rivals
3. v. to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation