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   challenge

   /ˈtʃalɪn(d)ʒ/

   noun

   • 1. a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength: "he accepted the challenge" Similar dareprovocationsummons
   • ▪ a task or situation that tests someone's abilities: "the traverse of the ridge is a challenge for experienced climbers" Similar problemdifficult tasktesttrialtroublebotherobstacle
   • ▪ an attempt to win a contest or championship in a sport: "he is desperate for a third world title challenge"
   • 2. a call to prove or justify something: "a challenge to the legality of the banning order" Similar confrontation withdispute withstand againsttest ofoppositiondisagreement withquestioning ofdefianceultimatum
   • ▪ a guard's call for a password or other proof of identity: "I heard the challenge ‘Who goes there?’"
   • ▪ an objection regarding the eligibility or suitability of a jury member.
   • 3. the administration of an immunogenic or infectious agent to an animal or person, in order to study the resulting immune response or measure the efficacy of a vaccine: "challenge trials have yielded positive results when carefully and ethically conducted"

   verb

   • 1. invite (someone) to engage in a contest: "he challenged one of my men to a duel" Similar daresummoninvitebidthrow down the gauntlet todefy someone to do something
   • ▪ enter into competition with or opposition against: "the beauty industry as we know it is being challenged by a group of pioneers hoping to change the way we see our bodies"
   • ▪ make a rival claim to or threaten someone's hold on (a position): "they were challenging his leadership"
   • ▪ invite (someone) to do or say something that one thinks will be difficult or impossible: "I challenge the Minister to deny these accusations"
   • ▪ make demands on; prove testing to: "a new way of life that would challenge them" Similar testtaxtrystrainmake demands onwearywear outdrainsapstretchstimulatearouseinspireexcitespur on
   • 2. dispute the truth or validity of: "it is possible to challenge the report's assumptions" Similar questiondisagree withobject totake exception toconfrontdisputetake issue withprotest againstcall into questiondemur about/againstdissent frombe a dissenter from
   • ▪ object to (a jury member): "a certain number of jurors may be challenged"
   • ▪ (of a guard) order (someone) to prove their identity: "the watchman did not challenge him"
   • 3. administer an immunogenic or infectious agent to an animal or person, in order to study the resulting immune response or measure the efficacy of a vaccine: "the mice were challenged with the influenza virus"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the senses ‘accusation’ and ‘accuse’): from Old French chalenge (noun), chalenger (verb), from Latin calumnia ‘calumny’, calumniari ‘calumniate’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. challengeable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 15

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