Challenge /(?)/

Chal·lenge

Challenge

n.
  1. 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.
    A challenge to controversy.
  2. The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign.
  3. A claim or demand. [Obs.]
    There must be no challenge of superiority.
    — Collier.
  4. The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game. (Hunting)
  5. 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. (Law)
  6. An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered. [U. S.]

Phrases & Compounds
Challenge to the array
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.

Challenge

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Challenged; p. pr. & vb. n. Challenging

  1. To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy.
    I challenge any man to make any pretense to power by right of fatherhood.
  2. To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat.
    By this I challenge him to single fight.
  3. To claim as due; to demand as a right.
    Challenge better terms.
  4. To censure; to blame. [Obs.]
    He complained of the emperors . . . and challenged them for that he had no greater revenues . . . from them.
  5. To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with “Who comes there?” (Mil.)
  6. To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation.
  7. To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court. (Law)
  8. To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter. [U. S.]

Phrases & Compounds
To challenge to the array, favor, polls
See under Challenge, n.

Challenge

v. i.
  1. To assert a right; to claim a place.
    Where nature doth with merit challenge.