Strife (?), n. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
1.
The act of striving; earnest endeavor.
[Archaic]
Shak.
2.
Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts.
Doting about questions and strifes of words.
1 Tim. vi. 4.
Thus gods contended -- noble strife -
Who most should ease the wants of life.
Congreve.
3.
Altercation; violent contention; fight; battle.
Twenty of them fought in this black strife.
Shak.
These vows, thus granted, raised a strife above
Betwixt the god of war and queen of love.
Dryden.
4.
That which is contended against; occasion of contest.
[Obs.] "Lamenting her unlucky
strife."
Spenser.
Syn. -- Contest; struggle; quarrel. See Contention.
© Webster 1913.