Link Centre Dictionary

strive

UK/ˈstɹaɪv/ US/ˈstraɪv/ fairly common

verb

1.

attempt by employing effort

  • “we endeavor to make our customers happy”
Synonyms
2.

to exert much effort or energy

  • “straining our ears to hear”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English striven (“to strive”), from Old French estriver (“to compete, quarrel”), from Frankish *strīban (“to exert, make an effort”) from Proto-Germanic *strībaną, or from Frankish *stribēn (“to strive”) from Proto-Germanic *stribāną. As this verb is conjugated as if it were a strong verb (like drive, ride, and write), it is possible this word may instead be inherited from an unattested Old English *strīfan or *strifian, which would itself also be inherited from Proto-Germanic *strībaną.

Phrases

  • do not sit in Rome and strive with the Pope

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.