Strife (?), n. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
1. The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [Archaic]
Shak.
2. 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. 3. 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. 4. That which is contended against; occasion of contest. [Obs.] "Lamenting her unlucky strife."
Spenser.
Syn. -- Contest; struggle; quarrel. See Contention.
Hear it pronounced