duel
[ doo-uh l, dyoo- ]
/ ˈdu əl, ˈdyu- /
noun
a prearranged combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons according to an accepted code of procedure, especially to settle a private quarrel.
any contest between two persons or parties.
verb (used with or without object), du·eled, du·el·ing or (especially British) du·elled, du·el·ling.
to fight in a duel.
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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- due diligence,
- due process,
- due process of law,
- due to,
- duecento,
- duelist,
- duello,
- duende,
- duenna,
- duero
Origin of duel
1585–95; earlier duell < Medieval Latin duellum, Latin: earlier form of bellum war, probably maintained and given sense “duel” by association with Latin duo two
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for duel
duel
/ (ˈdjuːəl) /
noun
a prearranged combat with deadly weapons between two people following a formal procedure in the presence of seconds and traditionally fought until one party was wounded or killed, usually to settle a quarrel involving a point of honour
a contest or conflict between two persons or parties
verb duels, duelling or duelled or US duels, dueling or dueled (intr)
to fight in a duel
to contest closely
Word Origin for duel
C15: from Medieval Latin duellum, from Latin, poetical variant of bellum war; associated by folk etymology with Latin duo two
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper