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Entry 15 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Challenge

/chăl'-ənj/ · Chal·lenge · IPA /ˈt͡ʃæl.ɪnd͡ʒ/
01 n. An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or m…
  1. 1.
    An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
    “A challenge to controversy.” — Goldsmith.
  2. 2.
    The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign.
  3. 3.
    A claim or demand.[Obs.]
    “There must be no challenge of superiority.” — Collier.
  4. 4.
    The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.(Hunting)
  5. 5.
    An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause.(Law)
  6. 6.
    An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered.[U. S.]
Phrases & compounds
Challenge to the array — an exception to the whole panel.
Challenge to the favor — the alleging a special cause, the sufficiency of which is to be left to those whose duty and office it is to decide upon it.
Challenge to the polls — an exception taken to any one or more of the individual jurors returned.
Peremptory challenge — a privilege sometimes allowed to defendants, of challenging a certain number of jurors (fixed by statute in different States) without assigning any cause.
Principal challenge — that which the law allows to be sufficient if found to be true.
02 v. t. To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy.
imp. & p. p. Challenged; p. pr. & vb. n. Challenging
  1. 1.
    To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy.
    “I challenge any man to make any pretense to power by right of fatherhood.” — Locke.
  2. 2.
    To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat.
    “By this I challenge him to single fight.” — Shak.
  3. 3.
    To claim as due; to demand as a right.
    “Challenge better terms.” — Addison.
  4. 4.
    To censure; to blame.[Obs.]
    “He complained of the emperors . . . and challenged them for that he had no greater revenues . . . from them.” — Holland.
  5. 5.
    To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with “Who comes there?”(Mil.)
  6. 6.
    To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation.
  7. 7.
    To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court.(Law)
  8. 8.
    To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter.[U. S.]
Phrases & compounds
To challenge to the array, favor, polls — See under Challenge, n.
03 v. i. To assert a right; to claim a place.
  1. 1.
    To assert a right; to claim a place.
    “Where nature doth with merit challenge.” — Shak.