The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [Archaic] Shak.
Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts. Doting about questions and strifes of words. 1 Tim. vi. 4. Thus gods contended -- noble strife -Who most should ease the wants of life. Congreve.
Altercation; violent contention; fight; battle. Twenty of them fought in this black strife. Shak. These vows, thus granted, raised a strife above Betwixt the god of war and queen of love. Dryden.
That which is contended against; occasion of contest. [Obs.] "Lamenting her unlucky strife." Spenser.
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