rencounter
Americannoun
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a hostile meeting; battle.
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a contest of any kind.
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a casual meeting.
verb (used with or without object)
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to encounter casually.
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Obsolete. to meet hostilely.
noun
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an unexpected meeting
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a hostile clash, as of two armies, adversaries, etc; skirmish
verb
Etymology
Origin of rencounter
From the Middle French word rencontrer, dating back to 1495–1505. See re-, encounter
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I emphasize it specially here that this war was mortal rencounter between two different nations.
From The Brothers' War by Reed, John Calvin
The two old Cavaliers laid about them in a style worthy of their best and most chivalrous days, and the citizens as stoutly supported them although but poorly armed and equipped for such a rencounter.
From The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2 or, The Recluse of Jamestown; An historical romance of the Old Dominion by Caruthers, William A. (Alexander)
It is not the smile, the chance word, the pleasant or even the hostile rencounter in the outer courts; it is that we do not respect each other’s silences.
From A New Atmosphere by Hamilton, Gail
Do you remember how he describes King Robert’s rencounter with the English knight?”
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume 2 Historical, Traditional, and Imaginative by Wilson, John Mackay
Guy Fawkes lingered for a moment, doubting whether he should mention his rencounter with Humphrey Chetham.
From Guy Fawkes or The Gunpowder Treason by Ainsworth, William Harrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
