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encounter - 6 dictionary results

en⋅coun⋅ter

  [en-koun-ter]
Use encounter in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to come upon or meet with, esp. unexpectedly: to encounter a new situation.
2. to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.): We encounter so many problems in our work.
3. to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict: We will encounter the enemy at dawn.
–verb (used without object)
4. to meet, esp. unexpectedly or in conflict: We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.
–noun
5. a meeting with a person or thing, esp. a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting: Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.
6. a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle: Another such encounter and we may lose the war.
7. Psychology. a meeting of two or more people, as the members of an encounter group or a number of married couples (marriage encounter), conducted to promote direct emotional confrontations among the participants, esp. as a form of therapy (encounter therapy).
Origin:
1250–1300; ME encountren < AF enco(u)ntrer; OF < VL *incontrāre, equiv. to in- in- 1 + -contrāre, deriv. of contrā against; see counter 3

Related forms:
en⋅coun⋅ter⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To encounter
en·coun·ter   (ěn-koun'tər)   
n.  
  1. A meeting, especially one that is unplanned, unexpected, or brief: a chance encounter in the park.
    1. A hostile or adversarial confrontation; a contest: a tense naval encounter.
    2. An often violent meeting; a clash.
v.   en·coun·tered, en·coun·ter·ing, en·coun·ters

v.   tr.
  1. To meet, especially unexpectedly; come upon: encountered an old friend on the street.
  2. To confront in battle or contention.
  3. To come up against: encounter numerous obstacles.
v.   intr.
To meet, especially unexpectedly.

[Middle English encountre, from Old French, from encontrer, to meet, from Late Latin incontrāre : Latin in-, in; see en-1 + Latin contrā, against; see kom in Indo-European roots.]
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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Encounter

En*coun"ter\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Encountered; p. pr. & vb. n. Encountering.] [OF. encontrer; pref. en- (L. in) + contre against, L. contra. See Counter, adv.] To come against face to face; to meet; to confront, either by chance, suddenly, or deliberately; especially, to meet in opposition or with hostile intent; to engage in conflict with; to oppose; to struggle with; as, to encounter a friend in traveling; two armies encounter each other; to encounter obstacles or difficulties, to encounter strong evidence of a truth.

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. --Acts xvii. 18.

I am most fortunate thus accidentally to encounter you. --Shak.

Encounter

En*coun"ter\, v. i. To meet face to face; to have a meeting; to meet, esp. as enemies; to engage in combat; to fight; as, three armies encountered at Waterloo.

I will encounter with Andronicus. --Shak.

Perception and judgment, employed in the investigation of all truth, have in the first place to encounter with particulars. --Tatham.

Encounter

En*coun"ter\, n. [OF. encontre, fr. encontrer. See Encounter, v. t.]

1. A meeting face to face; a running against; a sudden or incidental meeting; an interview.

To shun the encounter of the vulgar crowd. --Pope.

2. A meeting, with hostile purpose; hence, a combat; a battle; as, a bloody encounter.

As one for . . . fierce encounters fit. --Spenser.

To join their dark encounter in mid-air. --Milton .

Syn: Contest; conflict; fight; combat; assault; rencounter; attack; engagement; onset. See Contest.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : encounter
Spanish: encontrarse (con),
German: begegnen,
Japanese: 出会う
More Translations »

encounter 
1297, "meeting of adversaries," from O.Fr. encountrer "confront," from encontre (prep. and adv.) "against, counter to," from L.L. incontra "in front of," from L. in- "in" + contra "against." Weakened sense of "casually meet" first recorded in Eng. 1520.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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