definitions

duel

[ doo-uh l, dyoo- ]
/ ˈdu əl, ˈdyu- /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR duel ON THESAURUS.COM

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

withstand, confront, resist, rebuff, prevent, refuse, thwart, continue, combat, repel, defy, abide, forgo, maintain, curb, endure, thrust, cross, cope, tolerate

Nearby words

due diligence, due process, due process of law, due to, duecento, duel, 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

Related forms

du·el·is·tic; especially British, du·el·lis·tic, adjectiveout·du·el, verb (used with object), out·du·eled, out·du·el·ing or (especially British) out·du·elled, out·du·el·ling.

Can be confused

dual duel
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for duelling

British Dictionary definitions for duelling

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

Derived Forms

dueller or duellist, noun

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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012