CHALLENGE

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Dr. Goodword
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CHALLENGE

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Oct 11, 2007 9:12 pm

• challenge •

Pronunciation: chæ-lenj • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Verb, Noun

Meaning: 1. To confront and dare to do something, such as to compete in a game or do something dangerous. 2. To confront and call into question, as for a sentry to challenge an approaching stranger or challenge the results of an election. 3. To severely test, to make great demands, as a job might challenge our abilities.

Notes: Today's Good Word may be used as a verb or a noun in pretty much the same meanings: a challenge is a dare or calling into question. The adjective is the verbal participle, challenging, as a challenging (demanding) job. The adjective challengeable may be used in sense No. 2, as challengeable qualifications. The past participle, challenged is often used as a euphemism for handicapped, as a physically challenged person.

In Play: A challenge may involve only one person: "Herbie isn't good at multitasking: doing his job and breathing at the same time challenges his capacities." On the other hand, it may involve two people: "Little did Little know, when he challenged Marguerite to a friendly game of horseshoes for $100, that she was then the reigning US champion at that game."

Word History: Middle English borrowed chalenge from Old French, a language that was peculiar for changing C [k] to CH [ch] before A. Latin castellus "castle" became château in French and caritas "affection" became charité (borrowed by English as charity). French chalenge came from Latin calumnia "trickery, false accusation", a noun based on the verb calvi "to deceive". So a challenge was originally a false accusation. The sense of confrontation carried on but the general meaning of this word moved from a negative to a positive sense somewhere along the way between Latin and English. (Today we thank Perry Dror, who quite handily meets the challenge of finding words with stories as good as today's.)
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gailr
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Re: CHALLENGE

Postby gailr » Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:13 pm

Today we thank Perry Dror, who quite handily meets the challenge of finding words with stories as good as today's.
A word that challenges the convention of a single thread!

bnjtokyo

Postby bnjtokyo » Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:44 am

Japanese speakers of English often use "challenge" in what I consider to be an odd way. They say things like

"Tomorrow I will challenge the TOEFL."

One wonders what kind of score the speaker will receive.

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Postby Bailey » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:35 pm

Ah pitting oneself against er, whatever,

mark What's-a-toefull? Bailey


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Postby sluggo » Sun Oct 14, 2007 1:05 am

"Tomorrow I will challenge the TOEFL."
Not far from "tackle" in the same context, eh?
I take it this thread is for the verb and the other, the noun?
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