Encounter

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. A meeting face to face; a running against; a sudden or incidental meeting; an interview. To shun the encounter of the vulgar crowd. Pope.

2. A meeting, with hostile purpose; hence, a combat; a battle; as, a bloody encounter. As one for . . . fierce encounters fit. Spenser. To join their dark encounter in mid-air. Milton .

Synonyms: Contest; conflict; fight; combat; assault; rencounter; attack; engagement; onset. See Contest.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To come against face to face; to meet; to confront, either by chance, suddenly, or deliberately; especially, to meet in opposition or with hostile intent; to engage in conflict with; to oppose; to struggle with; as, to encounter a friend in traveling; two armies encounter each other; to encounter obstacles or difficulties, to encounter strong evidence of a truth. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. Acts xvii. 18. I am most fortunate thus accidentally to encounter you. Shak.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To meet face to face; to have a meeting; to meet, esp. as enemies; to engage in combat; to fight; as, three armies encountered at Waterloo. I will encounter with Andronicus. Shak. Perception and judgment, employed in the investigation of all truth, have in the first place to encounter with particulars. Tatham.