Dictionary
en•coun•ter
Pronunciation: (en-koun'tur), [key]—
v.t.
1. to come upon or meet with, esp. unexpectedly:
to encounter a new situation.
2. to meet with or contend against (difficulties, opposition, etc.):
We encounter so many problems in our work.
3. to meet (a person, military force, etc.) in conflict:
We will encounter the enemy at dawn.
—
v.i.
to meet, esp. unexpectedly or in conflict:
We were angry when we encountered, but we parted with smiles.
—
n.
1. a meeting with a person or thing, esp. a casual, unexpected, or brief meeting:
Our running into each other was merely a chance encounter.
2. a meeting of persons or groups that are in conflict or opposition; combat; battle:
Another such encounter and we may lose the war.
3. Psychol.a meeting of two or more people, as the members of an encounter group or a number of married couples
(marriage encounter), conducted to promote direct emotional confrontations among the participants, esp. as a form of therapy
(encoun'ter ther"apy). Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
