compete

compete
\ \ [17] Compete comes from Latin competere. This was a compound verb formed from com- ‘together’ and petereseek, strive’ (source of English petition, appetite, impetus, and repeat). At first this meant ‘come together, agree, be fit or suitable’, and the last of these meanings was taken up in the present participial adjective competēns, source of English competent [14]. In later Latin, however, competere developed the sense ‘strive together’, and this formed the basis of English compete.
\ \ Cf.APPETITE, COMPETENT, IMPETUS, PETITION, REPEAT

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • compete — com‧pete [kəmˈpiːt] verb [intransitive] COMMERCE when one company or country competes with another, it tries to get people to buy its goods or services rather than those available from another company or country: • measures to enable Irish… …   Financial and business terms

  • compete — 1 Compete, contend, contest are comparable especially in their intransitive senses when they mean to strive to gain the mastery or upper hand. Compete (see also RIVAL) implies a struggle to overcome or get the better of in an activity requiring… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Compete — can refer to:*Competition the rivalry of two or more parties *Compete.com a web traffic analysis company *Compete America an industry trade group *Non compete clause a term used in contract law under which one party (usually an employee) agrees… …   Wikipedia

  • Compete — Com*pete , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Competed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Competing}.] [L. completere, competitum; com + petere to seek. See {Petition}.] To contend emulously; to seek or strive for the same thing, position, or reward for which another is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • compete — I verb battle, be a candidate, be in the running, certare, challenge, clash, combat, contend, contest, cum homine contendere, duel, employ stratagem, encounter, engage in a contest, enter, enter competition, joust, match strength with, match wits …   Law dictionary

  • compete — 1610s, from M.Fr. compéter be in rivalry with (14c.), or directly from L.L. competere strive in common, in classical Latin to come together, agree, to be qualified, later, strive together, from com together (see COM (Cf. com )) + petere to strive …   Etymology dictionary

  • compete — [v] go up against in contest attempt, bandy, battle, be in the running*, bid, challenge, clash, collide, contend, contest, cope with, emulate, encounter, essay, face, fence, fight, go after, go for*, go for broke*, go for the gold*, grapple, in… …   New thesaurus

  • compete — ► VERB ▪ strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others. ORIGIN Latin competere, from petere aim at, seek …   English terms dictionary

  • compete — [kəm pēt′] vi. competed, competing [L competere, to strive together for, be qualified < com , together + petere, to rush at, desire: see FEATHER] to enter into or be in rivalry; contend; vie (in a contest, athletic meet, etc.) …   English World dictionary

  • compete — com|pete W3S3 [kəmˈpi:t] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(business)¦ 2¦(person)¦ 3¦(in a competition)¦ 4 somebody/something can t compete with somebody/something ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1600 1700; : Late Latin; Origin: competere [i] to try (with others) to get , from Latin,… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • compete */*/*/ — UK [kəmˈpiːt] / US [kəmˈpɪt] verb [intransitive] Word forms compete : present tense I/you/we/they compete he/she/it competes present participle competing past tense competed past participle competed to try to be more successful than other… …   English dictionary

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