\Con*ten"tion\, n. [F. contention, L. contentio. See
{Contend}.]
1. A violent effort or struggle to obtain, or to resist,
   something; contest; strife.
         I would my arms could match thee in contention.
                                               --Shak.
2. Strife in words; controversy; altercation; quarrel;
   dispute; as, a bone of contention.
         Contentions and strivings about the law. --Titus
                                               iii. 9.
3. Vehemence of endeavor; eagerness; ardor; zeal.
         An end . . . worthy our utmost contention to obtain.
                                               --Rogers.
4. A point maintained in an argument, or a line of argument
   taken in its support; the subject matter of discussion or
   strife; a position taken or contended for.
         All men seem agreed what is to be done; the
         contention is how the subject is to be divided and
         defined.                              --Bagehot.
         This was my original contention, and I still
         maintain that you should abide by your former
         decision.                             --Jowett.
Syn: Struggle; strife; contest; quarrel; combat; conflict;
     feud; litigation; controversy; dissension; variance;
     disagreement; debate; competition; emulation.
Usage: {Contention}, {Strife}. A struggle between two parties
       is the idea common to these two words. Strife is a
       struggle for mastery; contention is a struggle for the
       possession of some desired object, or the
       accomplishment of some favorite end. Neither of the
       words is necessarily used in a bad sense, since there
       may be a generous strife or contention between two
       friends as to which shall incur danger or submit to
       sacrifices. Ordinarily, however, these words denote a
       struggle arising from bad passions. In that case,
       strife usually springs from a quarrelsome temper, and
       contention from, a selfish spirit which seeks its own
       aggrandizement, or is fearful lest others should
       obtain too much. Strife has more reference to the
       manner than to the object of a struggle, while
       contention takes more account of the end to be gained.