duel
Americannoun
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a prearranged combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons according to an accepted code of procedure, especially to settle a private quarrel.
-
any contest between two persons or parties.
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
a prearranged combat with deadly weapons between two people following a formal procedure in the presence of seconds and traditionally fought until one party was wounded or killed, usually to settle a quarrel involving a point of honour
-
a contest or conflict between two persons or parties
verb
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to fight in a duel
-
to contest closely
Other Word Forms
- duelistic adjective
- dueller noun
- outduel verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of duel
1585–95; earlier duell < Medieval Latin duellum, Latin: earlier form of bellum war, probably maintained and given sense “duel” by association with Latin duo two
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To see why that is, watch her duet and duel with Carpenter in “The Muppet Show” revival.
From Salon
Those dueling impulses, rage and reason, are the focus of “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution” by Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University.
The public spat between the dueling San Francisco companies showcased an intense rivalry between OpenAI and Anthropic as they go head-to-head in a battle that could shape the technology’s future.
From Los Angeles Times
Rahman grew up in his mother's political orbit as she went on to become the country's first female prime minister, alternating power with Hasina in a long and bitter duel.
From Barron's
At the end of the six Grand Prix events of the season, they qualified for the final, where they faced Chock and Bates for the first time in a highly-anticipated duel.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
