Library / English Dictionary

DUEL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: duelled    , duelling   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any struggle between two skillful opponents (individuals or groups)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("duel" is a kind of...):

battle; struggle (an energetic attempt to achieve something)

Derivation:

duelist; duellist (a person who fights duels)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor

Synonyms:

affaire d'honneur; duel

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("duel" is a kind of...):

combat; fight; fighting; scrap (the act of fighting; any contest or struggle)

Derivation:

duel (fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman)

duelist; duellist (a person who fights duels)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman

Example:

In the 19th century, men often dueled over small matters

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "duel" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

duel (a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor)

dueler; duelist; dueller (a person who fights duels)

Credits