contend
part of speech
verb (contend, contends, contended, contending)
meaning for a pupil
1) Contend with: to have to deal with a problem or difficulty: «Farmers have to contend with drought». tree →
2) To compete with others to win something: «Five teams are contending for the cup». tree →
3) (formal) To say firmly that something is true, especially in an argument: «She contends that the plan will fail». tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Means to quarrel or struggle with someone, and in a blessing, to fight on someone's behalf. In the prophets and Job it also means to argue or bring a case against someone, even against God. Interpretation: The tradition notes that Isaac's well was named Esek, "contention," to remember the quarrel, and Judah's blessing asks God to help his hands fight for him. Job and the prophets use it for a person or people arguing their case before God, and the tradition reads God's reply as showing that no one can win such an argument. In the primary lessons: In sport, a «contender» is a team or person with a real chance to win. In news and history: people contend with floods, wars or poverty. In debates and essays, «X contends that…» introduces someone's argument or claim, which is useful for reporting views fairly. Phrases: «contend with», «contend for», «contend that», «a contender for the title».
examples
- And if men contend, and one smite the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keep his bed; (Torah EXO.21.18, JPS 1917) tree →
- And the herdmen of Gerar strove with Isaac's herdmen, saying: 'The water is ours.' And he called the name of the well Esek; because they contended with him. (Torah GEN.26.20, JPS 1917) tree →
- And this for Judah, and he said: Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him in unto his people; his hands shall contend for him, and Thou shalt be a help against his adversaries. (Torah DEU.33.7, JPS 1917) tree →
- Wherefore will ye contend with Me? (Prophets JER.2.29, JPS 1917) tree →
- Who is he that will contend with me? (Writings JOB.13.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- Shall he that reproveth contend with the Almighty? (Writings JOB.40.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- Explorers in Antarctica had to contend with freezing winds. tree →
- Three schools are contending for the trophy. tree →
- The scientist contends that the bones belong to a new species. tree →
- Our team is a strong contender for the championship. tree →
- Teachers contend with noisy classrooms every day. tree →
- Some people contend that school should start later. tree →
- Various public performers contended for the prize. tree →
note
Past form: contended. Do not confuse «contended» with «contented» (happy and satisfied). The noun is «contention» (an argument; also «in contention» = with a chance to win) and a competitor is a «contender». In essays, «contend» shows a claim, not a proven fact.
In the corpora
- Wherefore will ye contend with Me?
- 'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?
- Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
- Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
- He will not always contend; neither will He keep His anger for ever.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «contend» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.