a. Also 5 -tempcious, -tenciose, 6 -cious(e. [ad. F. contentieux:—L. contentiōsus given to contention, quarrelsome: see CONTENTION and -OUS.]
1. Of persons or their dispositions: Given to contention; prone to strife or dispute; quarrelsome.
1533. Frith, Answ. More (1829), 445. That you accept this worke with … no contentious hart.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxi. 19. It is better to dwell in the wildernesse, then with a contentious and an angry woman.
1682. Burnet, Rights Princes, i. 13. If two or three out of a contentious humour opposed it.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., V. § 19. The most contentious, quarrelsome, disagreeing crew.
1853. Macaulay, Biog. Atterbury (1867), 14. His despotic and contentious temper.
b. transf.
1605. Shaks., Lear, III. iv. 6. Thou think’st ’tis much that this contentious storme Inuades vs to the skin. Ibid. (1610), Temp., II. i. 118. His bold head ’Boue the contentious waues he kept.
1695. Blackmore, Pr. Arth., I. 455. She makes contentious Winds forget their Strife.
† c. Bellicose, warlike. Obs.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Sam. xxi. 20. And there arose yet warre at Gath, where there was a contencious man which had sixe fyngers on his handes. Ibid., 2 Kings xix. 25. That contencious stronge cities mighte fall in to a waist heap of stones.
2. Characterized by or involving contention.
c. 1430. trans. T. à Kempis, 119. To stryue wiþ contenciose wordes.
1535. Joye, Apol. Tindale, 49. To wryte any maliciouse and contenciouse pistle agenst him.
1647. Proposals of Army, in Neal, Hist. Purit., III. 412. The present unequal, and troublesome, and contentious way of ministers’ maintenance by Tithes.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 142, ¶ 8. A contentious and spiteful vindication.
1875. Gladstone, Glean., VI. liii. 170. Forbearing to raise contentious issues.
3. Law. Of or pertaining to differences between contending parties. Contentious jurisdiction: right of jurisdiction in causes between contending parties.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 427/1. Wel letterd, as it apperyd sythe, as wel in contempcious jugemente as gyuyng counceyll to the sowles upon the fayte of theyr conscyence.
1727–51. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The Lords Chief Justices, judges, etc. have a contentious jurisdiction.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 65. Such ecclesiastical courts, as have only what is called a voluntary and not a contentious jurisdiction.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., I. 233. In contentious suits it is difficult to draw the line between judicial decision and arbitration.
