CONTENTION, noun [Latin See Contend.] 1. Strife; struggle; a violent effort to obtain something, or to resist a person, claim or injury; contest; quarrel. Multitudes lost their lives in a tumult raised by contention among the partizans of the several colors. 2. Strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy. Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law. Titus 3:9. A fools lips enter into contention Proverbs 18:6. 3. Strife or endeavor to excel; emulation. 4. Eagerness; zeal; ardor; vehemence of endeavor. This is an end worthy of our utmost contention to obtain.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI