[a. F. conteste-r ‘to call or take to witnesse, make an earnest protestation or complaint vnto; also to brable, argue, debate a matter with; also to denie, gainesay, contest against’ (Cotgr., 1611), = It. contestare ‘to strive, debate’ (Florio, 1598), Pr. and Sp. contestar. The original source is L. contestārī to take or call to witness (f. con- + testārī to be a witness, bear witness, f. testis a witness); thence the legal phrase contestārī lītem, to introduce a lawsuit by calling witnesses, to bring an action; whence the modern sense. The Fr. vb. appears to have taken its senses partly from the orig. L., and partly from the Italian; and is followed in both by the Eng.]
I. Senses connected with L. contestārī to take to witness. Obs.
† 1. trans. To assert or confirm with the witness of an oath, to swear to (a fact or statement). Obs.
1579. J. Stubbes, Gaping Gulf, D ij b. Oathes and sworn promises contested at theyr high altar of their masse.
1613. Heywood, Brazen Age, I. Wks. 1874, III. 174. As we are Oeneus the Ætolians King…. So we contest we make her here the prize of the proud victor.
† 2. To witness to, attest; to bear corroborative testimony to; to attest along with another. rare.
1591. Drayton, Moses, I. For thy faire brow apparently contests The currant stamp of a cleane nuptial bed.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., I. xxxvii. (1739), 56. The Oath of the party suspected, and the concurrent testimony of other men: The first attesting his own innocency, the other contesting their Consciences of the truth of the former testimony.
† 3. To call to witness, take to witness, adjure; to address with a solemn appeal, charge, etc. Obs.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ps. lxxx. 9. Heare o my people: and I wil contest thee. Ibid. (1611), Ex. xix. 21. And the Lord said vnto Moses, Goe downe, charge [marg., Heb. contest] the people.
1621. Ainsworth, Annot. Pentat. (1639), 69. Paul used to Contest (or charge) before God and His Angels.
† b. intr. To bear witness, ‘testify,’ make a solemn appeal or protest. Obs.
1607. Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr., II. v. 35. Ioab displeaseth Dauid, when he contesteth against the numbring of the people.
1609. Bible (Douay), Amos iii. 13. Heare ye, and contest in the house of Jacob, sayth our Lord.
II. Senses originating in L. contestārī lītem.
4. intr. To contend or strive (with or against) in argument; to dispute or debate keenly, wrangle.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 53. To argue and refute him by arguments contending and contesting against that which hath beene said.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 2 Tim. iii. 8. Jannes and Jambres … resisted Moses and contested with him in the message he brought from God.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 756. Inexplicable Thy Justice seems; yet to say truth, too late I thus contest.
1684. T. Burnet, Th. Earth (1697), I. i. 4. As for the difficulty or obscurity of an argument, that does but add to the pleasure of contesting with it, when there are hopes of victory; and success does more than recompence all the pains.
1829. Southey, Sir T. More, I. 349. He dared not contest obstinately against persons of quality, who would be offended by his discourse.
5. trans. To argue or debate (a point, etc.); to argue against, dispute, controvert, call in question.
1663. Gerbier, Counsel, 107. Can such a one contest the Divine decree?
1697. Dryden, Virg. Past., Pref. (1721), I. 91. A fifth Rule (which one may hope will not be contested).
1751–73. Jortin, Eccl. Hist. (R.). The excellence of Christian morality will not be contested by fair and candid adversaries.
1845. S. Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., I. 339. He contested the right of the pope to dispense them.
1859. Mill, Liberty, ii. 37. With every opportunity for contesting it, it has not been refuted.
6. intr. To strive or contend (in a general sense).
a. 1618. Raleigh, Rem. (1644), 73. Have we not the Kings eares, who dares contest with us?
1647. W. Browne, Polex., II. 293. Contest no more against what is just, and be not guilty of your owne death.
a. 1711. Ken, Preparatives, Poet. Wks. 1721, IV. 38. Tell me how we best With Trouble and Temptation may contest.
1733. Pope, Ess. Man, III. 303. For Forms of Government let Fools contest.
1863. Ruskin, Munera P. (1880), 132. No form of government … is, as such, to be either condemned or praised, or contested for in anywise, but by fools.
7. trans. To contend, struggle, or fight for; to dispute with arms.
a. 1626. Bacon, Polit. Fables, ix. The matter was contested by single combat.
1818. Southey, Fun. Song P’cess Charlotte. Mournful was that Edward’s fame, Won in fields contested well.
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), II. x. 480. Every defensible spot of ground was stoutly contested by the Britons.
1874. Green, Short Hist., ii. § 4. 77. There was none of the house of Godwine to contest the crown.
b. To oppose with arms, fight against.
1764. Goldsm., Trav., 89. Yet these each other’s power so strong contest, That either seems destructive of the rest.
c. with cognate object.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. xiii. 8. The Warre which before-time they had contested with Gideon.
1841. Elphinstone, Hist. Ind., I. 533. It was better contested than might have been expected from the unequal skill of the generals.
8. intr. To contend in rivalry, vie, compete (with).
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. v. 116. I … do contest As hotly and as nobly with thy Loue, As euer in ambitious strength I did Contend against thy Valour.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 93. Of man, who dares in pomp with Jove contest.
9. trans. To contend for in emulation.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XXI. 144. Accept the tryal, and the prize contest.
1832. Lander, Adv. Niger, I. vi. 244. The race was well contested.
1888. Morley, Burke, 16. That he contested Adam Smith’s chair of moral philosophy at Glasgow along with Hume.
† b. To set in competition or rivalry. Obs. rare.
1681. Cotton, Wond. Peak (ed. 4), 13. A great transparent pillar … such a one as Nature does contest … With all the obelisks of antique Greece.
