One way to hold this word: a rope pulled tight, with you at one end and something at the other. You are using real effort, and the effort is aimed at whatever is pulling back. Change what holds the far end and you get all three uses. A rival holds it, and you are competing. A different opinion holds it, and you are arguing your case. A problem holds it — rain, noise, one more broken thing — and you are coping. The strain stays the same in every one; only the thing at the other end changes.
From the word’s history
Wiktionary's entry says contend came through Old French from Latin contendere, built from com- (together) and tendere (to stretch), the same tendere that gives extend, intend and attend. The old picture is of straining together, two forces stretched against each other — which is the rope image the modern uses all sit on.
Wiktionary 的說法是：contend 經由古法文來自拉丁文 contendere，由 com-（一起）加 tendere（拉、伸）組成。同一個 tendere 也造出了 extend、intend、attend。古早的畫面就是兩股力氣互相拉緊。這正好就是現在三個用法共用的那條繩子。
Wiktionary 'contend' etymology text supplied in this packet (source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:607165158)
登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。
原始詞典資料5 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
contendverb/kənˈtɛnd/
- 1
To be in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
- The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
- For never two such kingdoms did contend without much fall of blood.
- 2
To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
- 17th century, John Dryden, Epistle III to the Lady Castlemain You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.
- God has entrusted something to the church, and it is the church's job to contend for it, even unto death
- 3
To be in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.
- these simple ideas are far from those innate principles which some contend for
- many of those things he so fiercely contended about , were either falle or trivial
- 4
To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate.
- In this paper the author contends that no useful results can be obtained if this method is used.
- Some panellists contended that the costs of research and care justified the establishment of a permanent national commission
- 5
To try to cope with a difficulty or problem.
- However, the challenges for the railway world are much greater than for automotive as we generally have more occupants, higher speeds, greater masses, higher energies, and an absence of seatbelts or airbags to contend with.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。