duel
Other forms: duels; duelling; dueling; dueled; duelled
A duel is a fight between two people, usually using swords or other weapons. If you tend to be a little cowardly, you're probably glad that people aren't expected to defend their honor with a duel these days.
The classic definition of a duel is the kind that happens all the time in Shakespeare plays: two men clanking swords together in a battle to the death over some issue of honor or betrayal. Today, the word duel can be used to talk about any kind of contest or struggle — like a duel between political candidates. The word duel can be traced back to both duo, Latin for "two," and also duellum, which means "war."
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a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honorsynonyms: affaire d'honneur
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any struggle between two skillful opponents (individuals or groups)
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fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman
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dual / duel
Vocabulary lists containing duel
Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for seventh-grade students.
Learn the correct meanings and usages of these commonly confused words for eighth-grade students.