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contendere

to contend

verb kon-TEN-deh-reh Rare

Origin: Latin contendere, from con- + tendere ('to stretch').

Also means

to compete for

Usage Note

Contendere means to compete for or dispute something: contendersi il titolo ('to compete for the title'). In the reflexive form contendersi it implies two or more parties fighting over the same thing. It takes avere as auxiliary in the non-reflexive form. In formal or legal language it can mean 'to contest' a claim.

Examples

"Le due squadre si contendono il primo posto."

Natural Translation

The two teams are competing for first place.

Literal Translation

The two teams each-other contest the first place.

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