The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Contest \Con*test"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contested; p. pr. &
vb. n. Contesting.] [F. contester, fr. L. contestari to
call to witness, contestari litem to introduce a lawsuit by
calling witnesses, to bring an action; con- + testari to be a
witness, testic witness. See Testify.]
1. To make a subject of dispute, contention, litigation, or
emulation; to contend for; to call in question; to
controvert; to oppose; to dispute.
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The people . . . contested not what was done.
--Locke.
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Few philosophical aphorisms have been more frequenty
repeated, few more contested than this. --J. D.
Morell.
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2. To strive earnestly to hold or maintain; to struggle to
defend; as, the troops contested every inch of ground.
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3. (Law) To make a subject of litigation; to defend, as a
suit; to dispute or resist; as a claim, by course of law;
to controvert.
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To contest an election. (Polit.)
(a) To strive to be elected.
(b) To dispute the declared result of an election.
Syn: To dispute; controvert; debate; litigate; oppose; argue;
contend.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Election \E*lec"tion\, n. [F. ['e]lection, L. electio, fr.
eligere to choose out. See Elect, a.]
1. The act of choosing; choice; selection.
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2. The act of choosing a person to fill an office, or to
membership in a society, as by ballot, uplifted hands, or
viva voce; as, the election of a president or a mayor.
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Corruption in elections is the great enemy of
freedom. --J. Adams.
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3. Power of choosing; free will; liberty to choose or act.
"By his own election led to ill." --Daniel.
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4. Discriminating choice; discernment. [Obs.]
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To use men with much difference and election is
good. --Bacon.
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5. (Theol.) Divine choice; predestination of individuals as
objects of mercy and salvation; -- one of the "five
points" of Calvinism.
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There is a remnant according to the election of
grace. --Rom. xi. 5.
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6. (Law) The choice, made by a party, of two alternatives, by
taking one of which, the chooser is excluded from the
other.
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7. Those who are elected. [Obs.]
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The election hath obtained it. --Rom. xi. 7.
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To contest an election. See under Contest.
To make one's election, to choose.
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He has made his election to walk, in the main, in
the old paths. --Fitzed.
Hall.
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