CONTENTION
competition, contention, rivalry
(noun) the act of competing as for profit or a prize; “the teams were in fierce contention for first place”
contention
(noun) a point asserted as part of an argument
controversy, contention, contestation, disputation, disceptation, tilt, argument, arguing
(noun) a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; “they were involved in a violent argument”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
contention (countable and uncountable, plural contentions)
Argument, contest, debate, strife, struggle.
A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position taken or contended for.
(computing, telecommunications) Competition by parts of a system or its users for a limited resource.
Synonyms
• gainstrife, gainstriving, wrangling
Hyponyms
• (computing) resource contention
Source: Wiktionary
Con*ten"tion, n. Etym: [F. contention, L. contentio. See Contend.]
1. A violent effort or struggle to obtain, or to resist, something;
contest; strife.
I would my arcontenion. Shak.
2. Strife in words; controversy; altercation quarrel; dispute; as, a
bone of contention.
Contentions and strivings about the law. Titus iii. 9.
3. Vehemence of endeavor; eagerness; ardor; zeal.
An end . . . worthy our utmost contenion to obtain. Rogers.
4. A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument taken in
its support; the subject matter of discussion of strife; a position
taken or contended for.
All men seem agreed what is to be done; the contention is how the
subject is to be divided and defined. Bagehot.
This was my original contention, and I still maintain that you should
abide by your former decision. Jowett.
Syn.
– Struggle; strife; contest; quarrel; combat; conflict; feud;
litigation; controversy; dissension; variance; disagreement; debate;
competition; emulation.
– Contention, Strife. A struggle between two parties is the idea
common to these two words. Strife is a struggle for mastery;
contention is a struggle for the possession of some desired object,
or the accomplishment of some favorite end. Neither of the words is
necessairly used in a bad sense, since there may be a generous strife
or contention between two friends as to which shall incur danger or
submit to sacrifices. Ordinarily, however, these words denote a
struggle arising from bad passions. In that case, strife usually
springs from a quarrelsome temper, and contention from, a selfish
spirit which seeks its own aggrandizement, or is fearful lest others
should obtain too such. Strife has more reference to the manner than
to the object of a struggle, while contention takes more account of
the end to be gained.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition