Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun An unplanned meeting.
- noun A hostile encounter or contest.
- transitive & intransitive verb To meet unexpectedly or have an unexpected meeting.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To meet unexpectedly; fall in with.
- To attack hand to hand; encounter.
- To meet an enemy unexpectedly; clash; come in collision; fight hand to hand.
- noun An antagonistic or hostile meeting; a sudden coming in contact; collision; combat.
- noun A casual combat or action; a sudden contest or fight; a slight engagement between armies or fleets.
- noun Synonyms Skirmish, Brush, etc. See
encounter .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To meet unexpectedly; to encounter in a hostile manner; to come in collision; to skirmish.
- transitive verb To meet unexpectedly; to encounter.
- transitive verb obsolete To attack hand to hand.
- noun A meeting of two persons or bodies; a collision; especially, a meeting in opposition or contest; a combat, action, or engagement.
- noun A causal combat or action; a sudden contest or fight without premeditation, as between individuals or small parties.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb archaic (
transitive ) Tomeet ,encounter , come into contact with. - noun archaic An
encounter between opposing forces; aconflict . - noun archaic An
encounter or chance meeting.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word rencounter.
Examples
-
I was not there to witness the meeting; but it was said the rencounter was a furious one.
-
On the Eastern Border, the Homes are at feud with the Swintons and Cockburns; in our Middle Marches, the Scotts and Kerrs have spilled as much brave blood in domestic feud as might have fought a pitched field in England, could they have but forgiven and forgotten a casual rencounter that placed their names in opposition to each other.
The Monastery 2008
-
Rudolph declared his own intention to remain on guard the whole night; and as he was equally remarkable for vigilance as for strength and courage, the external watch was considered as safely provided for, it being settled that, in case of any sudden rencounter, the deep and hoarse sound of the Swiss bugle should be the signal for sending support to the patrolling party.
Anne of Geierstein 2008
-
But against the opinion of more thinking men, who considered Sir Philip Forester as having thrown himself out of the rank of men of honour, Captain Falconer admitted him to the privilege of such, accepted a challenge from him, and in the rencounter received a mortal wound.
-
It was a cruel drawback to her hopes to see him first thus in public: but the manner of Mrs. Arlbery at the hotel, he had thought repulsive; he had observed that she seemed offended with him since the rencounter at the breakfast given for Miss Dennel; and he now wished for some encouragement for renewing his rights to the acquaintance.
Camilla 2008
-
India, that Hartley was astonished by an unexpected rencounter.
-
But against the opinion of more thinking men, who considered Sir Philip Forester as having thrown himself out of the rank of men of honour, Captain Falconer admitted him to the privilege of such, accepted a challenge from him, and in the rencounter received a mortal wound.
-
The most surprising rencounter was at the entrance to the Grand Sewer.
Les Miserables 2008
-
Whilst they were thus speculating on the issue of the rencounter the valiant bonnet maker began to pull up Jezabel, in order that the smith, who he still concluded was close behind, might overtake him, and either advance first or at least abreast of himself.
-
'Gone in hopes of a rencounter, I doubt not,' answered Mrs. Arlbery;
Camilla 2008
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.