Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Rival

Ri′val

,
Noun.
[F.
rival
(cf. It.
rivale
), L.
rivales
two neigbors having the same brook in common, rivals, fr.
rivalis
belonging to a brook, fr.
rivus
a brook. Cf.
Rivulet
,
Rete
.]
1.
A person having a common right or privilege with another; a partner.
[Obs.]
If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,
The
rivals
of my watch, bid them make haste.
Shakespeare
2.
One who is in pursuit of the same object as another; one striving to reach or obtain something which another is attempting to obtain, and which one only can posses; a competitor;
as,
rivals
in love;
rivals
for a crown.
☞ “Rivals, in the primary sense of the word, are those who dwell on the banks of the same stream. But since, as all experience shows, there is no such fruitful source of coutention as a water right, it would continually happen that these occupants of the opposite banks would be at strife with one another in regard of the periods during which they severally had a right to the use of the stream . . . And thus ’rivals' . . . came to be used of any who were on any grounds in more or less unfriendly competition with one another.”
Trench.
Syn. – Competitor; emulator; antagonist.

Ri′val

,
Adj.
Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority;
as, rival lovers;
rival
claims or pretensions.
The strenuous conflicts and alternate victories of two
rival
confederacies of statesmen.
Macaulay.

Ri′val

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Rivaled
or
Rivalled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Rivaling
or
Rivalling
.]
1.
To stand in competition with; to strive to gain some object in opposition to;
as, to
rival
one in love
.
2.
To strive to equal or exel; to emulate.
To
rival
thunder in its rapid course.
Dryden.

Ri′val

,
Verb.
I.
To be in rivalry.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Rival

RI'VAL

,
Noun.
[L. rivalis; Heb. to contend, to strive. See Raffle.]
1.
One who is in pursuit of the same object as another; one striving to reach or obtain something which another is attempting to obtain, and which one only can possess; a competitor; as rivals in love; rivals for a crown. Love will not patiently bear a rival.
2.
One striving to equal or exceed another in excellence; as two rivals in eloquence.
3.
An antagonist; a competitor in any pursuit or strife.

RI'VAL

,
Adj.
Having the same pretensions or claims; standing in competition for superiority; as rival lovers; rival claims or pretensions.
Equal in years and rival in renown.

RI'VAL

, v.t.
1.
To stand in competition with; to strive to gain the object which another is contending for; as, to rival one in love.
2.
To strive to equal or excel; to emulate.
To rival thunder in its rapid course.

RI'VAL

,
Verb.
I.
To be competitors. [Not in use.]

Similar Results