# encounter

Pronunciation: US say "in-KOWN-tur" /ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/; UK say "in-KOWN-tuh" /ɪnˈkaʊntə/

## Verb

1. To meet someone or come across something, especially without expecting to.
   - Simple: To meet someone or find something by chance, often without planning it.
   - _Travelers often encounter unexpected delays during the holiday season._
   - _She encountered a rare bird while hiking through the forest._
3. To meet someone or something face to face, especially in opposition or as an obstacle.
   - Simple: To face someone or something directly, often in a tense or difficult situation.
   - _Protesters encountered a line of police outside the building._
   - _Explorers may encounter hostile conditions deep inside the cave._
5. To meet in battle or conflict, as opposing forces or enemies do.
   - Simple: To fight or take part in a battle, especially against an enemy.
   - _The opposing armies encountered fiercely before nightfall._
   - _When rival clans encounter, the fighting can last for days._
9. A euphemism, used in India, for killing or executing someone outside the law, with no trial or other legal process. *(India)*
   - Simple: A polite way of saying to kill someone without a trial, used in India.
   - _Critics allege that officers sometimes encounter suspects rather than bringing them to court._
   - _Human rights groups demanded an inquiry after three suspects were encountered within hours of their arrest._

## Noun

2. A meeting between people, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected.
   - Simple: A meeting between people that happens by chance and was not planned.
   - _The chance encounter at the conference led to a lasting friendship._
   - _Her brief encounter with the famous author lasted only a few minutes._
4. A hostile, often violent meeting between opponents; a confrontation, skirmish, or clash.
   - Simple: A hostile or violent meeting between people who fight or clash.
   - _The border encounter left several soldiers wounded._
   - _A violent encounter between rival gangs broke out downtown._
6. A sporting match contested between two opposing sides.
   - Simple: A game or match between two teams or players.
   - _Saturday's encounter between the two clubs drew a record crowd._
   - _The away encounter proved decisive in the title race._
7. Sexual activity between two people, especially unplanned, who have not previously established a sexual relationship.
   - Simple: A sexual meeting between two people, often unplanned and not part of a relationship.
   - _Their brief encounter that weekend never turned into anything more._
   - _The memoir describes a single anonymous encounter she later regretted._
8. The phase of a space mission during which a spacecraft carries out its main data-gathering work.
   - Simple: The part of a space mission when a spacecraft gathers its main data near a target.
   - _The Pluto encounter lasted only hours but yielded decades' worth of data._
   - _Mission controllers rehearsed every step of the flyby encounter._
10. A killing or execution carried out outside the law, without any judicial process. *(India)*
   - Simple: A killing carried out by police or others without a trial.
   - _The commission investigated several encounters reported by the district police._
   - _The alleged encounter turned out to be a staged shooting._

## Verb

11. To meet one another. *(rare)*
   - Simple: To meet each other, especially by chance.
   - _The delegates encountered at the summit and exchanged greetings._
   - _Two storms can encounter over the ocean and merge into one._

## Origin

This comes from Middle English encountren, via Anglo-Norman encountrer and Old French encontrer ('to confront'), from encontre ('against, counter to'). That traces back to Late Latin incontrā ('in front of'), formed from Latin in ('in') plus contrā ('against').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/encounter (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).