strife en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English strif, stryf, striffe, from Old French estrif, noun derived from estriver, from Frankish *strīban; compare Dutch strijven. More at strive.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) Striving; earnest endeavor; hard work.
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(countable, uncountable) Exertion or contention for superiority, either by physical or intellectual means.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):Hee is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions, and ſtrifes of wordes,[…]
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 6:4:
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(countable, uncountable) Bitter conflict, sometimes violent.
A few observations about the interpretation of vows or pledges may not be out of place here. Interpretation of pledges has been a fruitful source of strife all the world over. No matter how explicit the pledge, people will turn and twist the text to suit their own purposes.
1927-29, M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated 1940 by Mahadev Desai, Part I, Chapter xvii
- (colloquial, countable, uncountable) A trouble of any kind.
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(countable, obsolete, uncountable) That which is contended against; occasion of contest.
He ſpide lamenting her unlucky ſtrife,
1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:The street cleaning machine, an English invention, which we described in No. 48, vol 2, Scientific American, was recently tested in a strife with hand labor, in Manchester, and it did better work and as much, with only the attendance of two men, than thirty men sweeping and using hoes and shovels.
1847, editorial staff, “Street Cleaning Machine”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 68:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| strifes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
strifemaker · strifemaking · strifeless · makestrife · strifeful · strife-ridden · strifemonger · gainstrife · trouble and strife
Relateds
Synonyms
conflict · altercation · struggle · wrangle · contention · dissension · discord · discord · contention
Translations (92)
bg конфликт (violent conflict) · oc brega (violent conflict) · gl liorna (violent conflict) · he מדון (violent conflict) · hu viszály (violent conflict) · gl brego (violent conflict) · tr çatışma (violent conflict) · enm strout (violent conflict) · el διαπάλη (violent conflict) · gd ceallach (violent conflict) · uk чвари (violent conflict) · ga bruíon (violent conflict) · gl tarapuxa (violent conflict) · tr ihtilaf (violent conflict) · sv tvist (violent conflict) · enm strif (violent conflict) · mh akwāāl (violent conflict) · eo malpaco (violent conflict) · fi yhteenotto (violent conflict) · uk конфлікт (violent conflict) · it tenzone (violent conflict) · gl esganifa (violent conflict) · sv stridighet (violent conflict) · de Streit (violent conflict) · gl duia (violent conflict) · fr dispute (violent conflict) · la iūrgium (violent conflict) · nl geschil (violent conflict) · gl derriza (violent conflict) · pl niesnaska (violent conflict) · gl disputa (violent conflict) · gl gurra (violent conflict) · uk боротьба (violent conflict) · it disputa (violent conflict) · nl vijandige rivaliteit (violent conflict) · sv kiv (violent conflict) · gl baralla (violent conflict) · fy striid (violent conflict) · ar فِتْنَة (violent conflict) · no strid (violent conflict) · de Unfriede (violent conflict) · nl conflict (violent conflict) · gl arretío (violent conflict) · cs potyčka (violent conflict) · fy strijf (violent conflict) · ru ра́спря (violent conflict) · ko 투쟁 (violent conflict) · gl entirquinencia (violent conflict) · mi raweoi (violent conflict) · gl rifa (violent conflict) · gl enxerga (violent conflict) · gl rixa (violent conflict) · pt discórdia (violent conflict) · pl konflikt (violent conflict) · es disensión (violent conflict) · ru раздо́р (violent conflict) · cs svár (violent conflict) · egy xrw-w-i-i-w-D40:Z2 (violent conflict) · pt disputa (violent conflict) · gl cotifada (violent conflict) · fi selkkaus (violent conflict) · gl learaza (violent conflict) · fr différends (violent conflict) · sv fejd (violent conflict) · cs konflikt (violent conflict) · mk распра́вија (violent conflict) · mi rawehoi (violent conflict) · gl barata (violent conflict) · es altercado (violent conflict) · sv konflikt (violent conflict) · ga imreas (violent conflict) · el αλληλοσπαραγμός (violent conflict) · nl strijd (violent conflict) · gl liorta (violent conflict) · oc disputa (violent conflict) · cy ymryson (violent conflict) · el διαμάχη (violent conflict) · pt conflito (violent conflict) · mi tatauranga (violent conflict) · mi taute (violent conflict) · ja 争い (violent conflict) · az nifaq (violent conflict) · pl kłótnia (violent conflict) · hi संघर्ष (violent conflict) · eu liskar (violent conflict) · yue 鬥爭 /斗争 (violent conflict) · gl trepe (violent conflict) · mk ра́здор (violent conflict) · cmn 衝突 /冲突 (violent conflict) · fi konflikti (violent conflict) · fr querelle (violent conflict) · oc garrolha (violent conflict)