• Challenge

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /ˈtʃæl.ɪndÊ’/-É™ndÊ’/

    Origin

    From Middle English chalenge, assilibated variant of Middle English calenge, calange ("an accusation, claim"), from Old French chalenge, chalonge, assilibated forms of Old French calenge, calonge, from Latin calumnia ("a false accusation, calumny"), from Proto-Indo-European *kēl-, *ḱēl- ("invocation; to beguile, feign, charm, cajole, deceive"). Cognate with Old English hōl ("calumny").

    Full definition of challenge

    Noun

    challenge

    (plural challenges)
    1. A confrontation; a dare.
      1. An instigation or antagonization intended to convince a person to perform an action they otherwise would not.
        • 2013-11-30, Paul Davis, Letters: Say it as simply as possible, Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion” in a chart (“On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?
      2. A bid to overcome something.
        a challenge to the king's authority
        • 2012, May 5, Phil McNulty, Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool, For Liverpool, their season will now be regarded as a relative disappointment after failure to add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup and not mounting a challenge to reach the Champions League places.
      3. (sports) An attempt to take possession; a tackle
        • 2011, October 1, Saj Chowdhury, Wolverhampton 1-2 Newcastle, Argentine midfielder Jonas Gutierrez added a superb second when he surged past four challenges to fire in low.
      4. A summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
      5. The act of a sentry in halting a person and demanding the countersign, or (by extension) the action of a computer system demanding a password, etc.
      6. A difficult task, especially one that the person making the attempt finds more enjoyable because of that difficulty.
      7. (legal) A procedure or action.
        1. (legal, rare) A judge's interest in the result of the case for which he or she should not be allowed to sit the case, e.g. a conflict of interest.
          Consanguinity in direct line is a challenge for a judge when he or she is sitting cases.
        2. The act of appealing a ruling or decision of a court of administrative agency.
        3. The act of seeking to remove a judge, arbitrator or other judicial or semi-judicial figure for reasons of alleged bias or incapacity.
          We're still waiting to hear how the court rules on our challenge of the arbitrator based on conflict of interest.
        4. (US) An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered.
      8. (hunting) The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.

    Verb

    1. To invite someone to take part in a competition.
      We challenged the boys next door to a game of football.
    2. To dare someone.
      • John Locke (1632-1705)I challenge any man to make any pretence to power by right of fatherhood.
    3. To dispute something.
      to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation
    4. (legal) To make a formal objection to a juror.
    5. (obsolete) To claim as due; to demand as a right.
    6. (obsolete) To censure; to blame.
      • HollandHe complained of the emperor...and challenged them for that he had no greater revenues...from them.
    7. (military) To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines).
      The sentinel challenged us with "Who goes there?"
    8. (US) To object to the reception of the vote of, e.g. on the ground that the person is not qualified as a voter.

    Synonyms

    Related terms

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