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Webster 1913 Edition

Strive

Strive

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp.
Strove
;
p. p.
Striven
(
Rarely
,
Strove
);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Striving
.]
[OF.
estriver
; of Teutonic origin, and akin to G.
streben
, D.
streven
, Dan.
straebe
, Sw.
sträfva
. Cf.
Strife
.]
1.
To make efforts; to use exertions; to endeavor with earnestness; to labor hard.
Was for this his ambition
strove

To equal Caesar first, and after, Jove?
Cowley.
2.
To struggle in opposition; to be in contention or dispute; to contend; to contest; – followed by against or with before the person or thing opposed;
as,
strive
against temptation;
strive
for the truth
.
Chaucer.
My Spirit shall not always
strive
with man.
Gen. vi. 3.
Why dost thou
strive
against him?
Job xxxiii. 13.
Now private pity
strove
with public hate,
Reason with rage, and eloquence with fate.
Denham.
3.
To vie; to compete; to be a rival.
Chaucer.
[Not] that sweet grove
Of Daphne, by Orontes and the inspired
Castalian spring, might with this paradise
Of Eden
strive
.
Milton.
Syn. – To contend; vie; struggle; endeavor; aim.

Strive

,
Noun.
1.
An effort; a striving.
[R.]
Chapman.
2.
Strife; contention.
[Obs.]
Wyclif (luke xxi. 9).

Webster 1828 Edition

Strive

STRIVE

,
Verb.
I.
pret. strove; pp. striven. [G. This word coincides in elements with drive, and the primary sense is nearly the same. See Rival.]
1.
To make efforts; to use exertions; to endeavor with earnestness; to labor hard; applicable to exertions of body or mind. A workman strives to perform his task before another; a student strives to excel his fellows in improvement.
Was it for this that his ambition strove to equal Cesar first, and after Jove?
Strive with me in your prayers to God for me. Romans 15.
Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Luke 8.
2.
To contend; to contest; to struggle in opposition to another; to be in contention or dispute; followed by against or with before the person or thing opposed; as, strive against temptation; strive for the truth.
My spirit shall not always strive with man. Genesis 6.
3.
To oppose by contrariety of qualities.
Now private pity strove with public hate, reason with rage, and eloquence with fate.
4.
To vie; to be comparable to; to emulate; to contend in excellence.
Not that sweet grove of Daphne by Orontes, and the inspird Castalian spring, might with this paradise of Eden strive.

Definition 2024

strive

strive

English

Verb

strive ‎(third-person singular simple present strives, present participle striving, simple past strove or strived, past participle striven or strived)

  1. To try to achieve a result; to make strenuous effort; to try earnestly and persistently.
    He strove to excel.
    to strive for the truth
  2. To struggle in opposition; to be in contention or dispute; to contend; to contest.
    to strive against fate
    • Denham
      Now private pity strove with public hate, / Reason with rage, and eloquence with fate.
  3. To vie; to compete as a rival.
    • Milton
      [Not] that sweet grove / Of Daphne, by Orontes and the inspired / Castalian spring, might with this paradise / Of Eden strive.

Conjugation

Usage notes

Related terms

Translations

Noun

strive ‎(plural strives)

  1. (obsolete) An effort; a striving.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Chapman to this entry?)
  2. (obsolete) strife; contention
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Wyclif Bible (Luke xxi. 9) to this entry?)

External links

  • strive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • strive in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English striven ‎(“to strive”) from Old French estriver ‎(“to compete, quarrel”) from Old French estrif ‎(“quarrel, dispute”), alteration (influenced by Germanic forms related to Frankish *strīban ‎(“to strive”), from Proto-Germanic *strībaną, *stribjaną, *stribōną, compare Middle Dutch streven ‎(“to strive”), German streben ‎(“to strive”)) of Old French estrit, from Frankish *strīd ‎(“quarrel, dispute”) from Proto-Germanic *strīdō ‎(“combat, strife”). Akin to Old High German strīt ‎(“quarrel”) (German Streit), Old High German strītan ‎(“to fight”), Old Norse strīð ‎(“strife, contention”). More at stride.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈstɹaɪv/
  • Rhymes: -aɪv

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