1. [n]  a demand by a sentry for a password or identification
2. [n]  questioning a statement and demanding an explanation; "he challenged the assumption that Japan is our enemy"
3. [n]  a formal objection to the selection of a particular person as a juror
4. [n]  a call to engage in a contest or fight
5. [n]  a demanding or stimulating situation; "they reacted irrationally to the challenge of Russian power"
6. [v]  raise a formal objection in a court of law
7. [v]  ask for identification; "The illegal immigrant was challenged by the border guard"
8. [v]  issue a challenge to; "Fischer challenged Spassky to a match"
9. [v]  take exception to; "She challenged his claims"

Challenge
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1. \Chal"lenge\, n. [OE. chalenge claim, accusation,
   challenge, OF. chalenge, chalonge, claim, accusation,
   contest, fr. L. calumnia false accusation, chicanery. See
   {Calumny}.]
   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.           --Goldsmith.
   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. (Hunting) The opening and crying of hounds at first
      finding the scent of their game.
   5. (Law) 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. --Blackstone
   6. An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote.
      The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered. [U.
      S.]
   {Challenge to the array} (Law), 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.
   

2. \Chal"lenge\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Challenged}; p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Challenging}.] [OE. chalengen to accuse, claim, OF.
   chalengier, chalongier, to claim, accuse, dispute, fr. L.
   calumniar to attack with false accusations. See {Challenge},
   n., and cf. {Calumniate}.]
   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.                  --Locke.
   2. To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by
      personal combat.
            By this I challenge him to single fight. --Shak.
   3. To claim as due; to demand as a right.
            Challenge better terms.               --Addison.
   4. To censure; to blame. [Obs.]
            He complained of the emperors . . . and challenged
            them for that he had no greater revenues . . . from
            them.                                 --Holland.
   5. (Mil.) To question or demand the countersign from (one who
      attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged
      us, with ``Who comes there?''
   6. To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the
      accuracy of a statement or of a quotation.
   7. (Law) To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or
      member of a court.
   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.]
   {To challenge to the} {array, favor, polls}. See under
      {Challenge}, n.
   

3. \Chal"lenge\, v. i.
   To assert a right; to claim a place.
         Where nature doth with merit challenge.  --Shak.