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 qualifed 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.
© Webster 1913.
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 qualifed as a voter.
[U. S.]
To challenge to the array, favor, polls. See under Challenge, n.
© Webster 1913.
Chal"lenge, v. i.
To assert a right; to claim a place.
Where nature doth with merit challenge.
Shak.
© Webster 1913.