Edit page | Page history | Printable version

Encounter

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).

Synonym: Contest, conflict, fight, combat, assault, rencounter, attack, engagement, onset. See Contest.

Origin: OF. Encontre, fr. Encontrer. See encounter.