GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Found 2 definitions
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Challenge , n. [OE. chalenge claim, accusation, challenge, OF. chalenge, chalonge, claim, accusation, contest, fr. L. calumnia false accusation, chicanery. See Calumny.]
- An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.1913 Webster
A challenge to controversy.
Goldsmith.1913 Webster - The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign.1913 Webster
- A claim or demand. [Obs.]1913 Webster
There must be no challenge of superiority.
Collier.1913 Webster - (Hunting) The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.1913 Webster
- (Law) An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause.Blackstone1913 Webster
- An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered. [U. S.]1913 Webster
Challenge to the array (Law), an exception to the whole panel. -- Challenge to the favor, the alleging a special cause, the sufficiency of which is to be left to those whose duty and office it is to decide upon it. -- Challenge to the polls, an exception taken to any one or more of the individual jurors returned. -- Peremptory challenge, a privilege sometimes allowed to defendants, of challenging a certain number of jurors (fixed by statute in different States) without assigning any cause. -- Principal challenge, that which the law allows to be sufficient if found to be true.
1913 Webster
- An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.
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Principal , a. [F., from L. principalis. See Prince.]
- Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case.1913 Webster
Wisdom is the principal thing.
Prov. iv. 7.1913 Webster - Of or pertaining to a prince; princely. [A Latinism] [Obs.]Spenser.1913 Webster
Principal axis. See Axis of a curve, under Axis. -- Principal axes of a quadric (Geom.), three lines in which the principal planes of the solid intersect two and two, as in an ellipsoid. -- Principal challenge. (Law) See under Challenge. -- Principal plane. See Plane of projection (a), under Plane. -- Principal of a quadric (Geom.), three planes each of which is at right angles to the other two, and bisects all chords of the quadric perpendicular to the plane, as in an ellipsoid. -- Principal point (Persp.), the projection of the point of sight upon the plane of projection. -- Principal ray (Persp.), the line drawn through the point of sight perpendicular to the perspective plane. -- Principal section (Crystallog.), a plane passing through the optical axis of a crystal.
1913 Webster
- Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case.