Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
enculturation
encumber
encumbrance
encumbrancer
encyclical
encyclopaedia
encyclopedia
encyclopedic
encyclopedism
Encyclopedist
encyclopedist
encyst
-end
end
end-
end-around
end in
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "encounter" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

encounter

en·coun·ter [ in kówntər, en kówntər ]


transitive verb  (past and past participle en·coun·tered, present participle en·coun·ter·ing, 3rd person present singular en·coun·ters)
Definition:
 
1. come up against something: to be faced with something difficult to deal with
We don't expect to encounter any major problems.

2. meet somebody unexpectedly: to meet somebody or something, usually unexpectedly and briefly
I encountered the girl for the first time in 1993.

3. meet somebody in conflict: to confront somebody with hostility or aggression



noun  (plural en·coun·ters)
Definition:
 
1. unexpected meeting: a meeting with somebody or something, usually unexpected and brief

2. confrontation: a hostile confrontation or difficult struggle

[13th century. < Old French encontrer "confront" < late Latin incontra "in front of" < Latin in- "in" + contra "against"]
Englishtown: Learn English online
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
Upgrade your Encarta experience
Encarta RSS Feeds
© 2008 Microsoft