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duelling

 - 3 dictionary results

du⋅el

  [doo-uhl, dyoo-] noun, verb, -eled, -el⋅ing or (especially British) -elled, -el⋅ling.
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–noun
1. a prearranged combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons according to an accepted code of procedure, esp. to settle a private quarrel.
2. any contest between two persons or parties.
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
3. to fight in a duel.
Origin:
1585–95; earlier duell < ML duellum, L: earlier form of bellum war, prob. maintained and given sense “duel” by assoc. with L duo two

Related forms:
du⋅el⋅is⋅tic; especially British, du⋅el⋅lis⋅tic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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du·el   (dōō'əl, dyōō'-)   
n.  

  1. A prearranged, formal combat between two persons, usually fought to settle a point of honor.

  2. A struggle for domination between two contending persons, groups, or ideas.

v.   du·eled or du·elled, du·el·ing or du·el·ling, du·els

v.   tr.

  1. To engage (another) in or as if in formal combat.

  2. To oppose actively and forcefully.

v.   intr.
To engage in or as if in formal combat.

[Middle English duelle, from Medieval Latin duellum, from Latin, war, archaic variant of bellum.]
du'el·er, du'el·ist n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

duel 
c.1475, from M.L. duellum "combat between two persons," by association with L. duo "two," but originally from L. duellum "war," an Old Latin form of bellum. Retained in poetic and archaic language and apparently given a special meaning in M.L. or L.L. of "one-on-one combat" on fancied connection with duo "two."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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