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strife

1. The act of striving; earnest endeavor.

2. Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts. Doting about questions and strifes of words. (1 Tim. Vi. 4) Thus gods contended noble strife - who most should ease the wants of life. (Congreve)

3. Altercation; violent contention; fight; battle. Twenty of them fought in this black strife. (Shak) These vows, thus granted, raised a strife above Betwixt the god of war and queen of love. (Dryden)

4. That which is contended against; occasion of contest. Lamenting her unlucky strife.

Synonym: Contest, struggle, quarrel. See Contention.

Origin: OF. Estrif. See Strive.