Definitions for encounter
ɛnˈkaʊn təren·counter

Princeton's WordNet(2.80 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. brush, clash, encounter, skirmish(noun)

   a minor short-term fight

2. meeting, encounter(noun)

   a casual or unexpected convergence

   "he still remembers their meeting in Paris"; "there was a brief encounter in the hallway"

3. encounter, coming upon(noun)

   a casual meeting with a person or thing

4. confrontation, encounter, showdown, face-off(verb)

   a hostile disagreement face-to-face

5. meet, run into, encounter, run across, come across, see(verb)

   come together

   "I'll probably see you at the meeting"; "How nice to see you again!"

6. find, happen, chance, bump, encounter(verb)

   come upon, as if by accident; meet with

   "We find this idea in Plato"; "I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here"; "She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day"

7. run into, encounter(verb)

   be beset by

   "The project ran into numerous financial difficulties"

8. meet, encounter, receive(verb)

   experience as a reaction

   "My proposal met with much opposition"

9. meet, encounter, play, take on(verb)

   contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle

   "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"

Wiktionary(2.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. encounter(Noun)

   An unplanned or unexpected meeting.

   Their encounter was a matter of chance

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

2. encounter(Noun)

   A hostile meeting; a confrontation or skirmish.

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

3. encounter(Noun)

   A sudden, often violent clash, as between combattants

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

4. encounter(Noun)

   A match between two opposing sides

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

5. encounter(Verb)

   To meet (someone) or find (something) unexpectedly.

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

6. encounter(Verb)

   To confront (someone or something), notably face to face.

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

7. encounter(Verb)

   To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.

   Etymology: Recorded since 1297, encountrer, encontrer, from encontre, from incontra itself from in- + contra.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Encounter(adverb)

   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

   Etymology: [OF. encontrer; pref. en- (L. in) + contre against, L. contra. See Counter, adv.]

2. Encounter(verb)

   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

   Etymology: [OF. encontrer; pref. en- (L. in) + contre against, L. contra. See Counter, adv.]

3. Encounter(verb)

   a meeting face to face; a running against; a sudden or incidental meeting; an interview

   Etymology: [OF. encontrer; pref. en- (L. in) + contre against, L. contra. See Counter, adv.]

4. Encounter(verb)

   a meeting, with hostile purpose; hence, a combat; a battle; as, a bloody encounter

   Etymology: [OF. encontrer; pref. en- (L. in) + contre against, L. contra. See Counter, adv.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Encounter

   Encounter was a literary magazine, founded in 1953 by poet Stephen Spender and early neoconservative author Irving Kristol. The magazine ceased publication in 1991. Published in the United Kingdom, it was a largely Anglo-American intellectual and cultural journal. The magazine received covert funding from the Central Intelligence Agency, after the CIA and MI6 discussed the founding of an "Anglo-American left-of-centre publication" intended to counter the idea of cold war neutralism. The magazine was rarely critical of American foreign policy, but beyond this editors had considerable publishing freedom. Spender served as literary editor until 1967, when he resigned due to the revelation that year of the covert Central Intelligence Agency funding of the magazine, of which he had heard rumors, but had not been able to confirm. Thomas W. Braden, who headed the CIA's International Organizations Division's operations between 1951 to 1954, said that the money for the magazine "came from CIA, and few outside the CIA knew about it. We had placed one agent in a Europe-based organization of intellectuals called the Congress for Cultural Freedom." Frank Kermode replaced him but he too resigned when it became clear the CIA were involved. Roy Jenkins noted that earlier contributors were aware of U.S. funding, but believed it came from philanthropists including a Cincinnati gin distiller.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Encounter

   en-kown′ter, v.t. to meet face to face, esp. unexpectedly: to meet in contest: to oppose.—n. a meeting unexpectedly: an interview: a fight: (Shak.) behaviour. [O. Fr. encontrer—L. in, in, contra, against.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. encounter

   The hostile meeting of two ships or squadrons; also, a conflict between troops.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. encounter

   A meeting with hostile purpose; hence, a combat; a battle.

2. encounter

   To come against face to face; to engage in conflict with; to oppose; as, two armies encounter each other.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'encounter' in Nouns Frequency: #2317

2. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'encounter' in Verbs Frequency: #596

How to pronounce encounter?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say encounter in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of encounter in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of encounter in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of encounter in a Sentence

1. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel:

   Every encounter between law enforcement and a resident is a teachable moment, the trust factor is not just a goal, it is a key ingredient to effective community policing, which is what you need for safety.

2. Jeffrey Nassof:

   We estimate that Anbang's fees could be $60 million or so, due to the cross-border regulatory issues they are likely to encounter. Not a bad haul for a firm that just disclosed $286 million in total advisory fees for their fiscal 2015.

3. Deodatta V. Shenai-Khatkhate:

   Some people bear startling resemblance with lovely Lotus flowers that grow in the mud, and yet rise above the murkier waters as astoundingly beautiful flowers. The mud of adversities, challenges and obstacles doesn't stop their growth, but offers the nourishment and strength to rise above the dirt. I often think that it must be the strong desire, tenacity and perseverance of Lotus flower that makes her so unique in rising above and beyond the normal limitations. Lest we forget, not everything that grows in the mud turns into an elegant Lotus flower. In my view we must strive to develop the same mental strength, perseverance and passion within - so as to grow above the mud of compelling circumstances, hate, hardships, social rejections, and discriminations that we often encounter in the real world. Only then we'll be able to transform into eloquent Lotus flowers, gently opening our soft and supple petals one by one, to make our world most beautiful.

4. Bryant McGill:

   Afford every soul you encounter the wide and free passage they need to give birth to the dear expressions they feel are important.

5. Minister Sudirman Said:

   He emphasised that there should be a thorough review while the deadline is still a long way off, so that we don't encounter obstacles when we're already halfway.

Images & Illustrations of encounter

Popularity rank by frequency of use