encounter
encounter
(ɪnkaʊntəʳ )Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense encounters , present participle encountering , past tense, past participle encountered
1. verb
Every day of our lives we encounter stresses of one kind or another. [VERB noun]
Environmental problems they found in Poland were among the worst they encountered. [VERB noun]
2. verb
If you encounter someone, you meet them, usually unexpectedly.
[formal]Did you encounter anyone in the building? [VERB noun]
Renata wrote him that she had encountered her long-estranged father. [VERB noun]
3. countable noun
An encounter with someone is a meeting with them, particularly one that is unexpected or significant.
The author tells of a remarkable encounter with a group of South Vietnamese soldiers. [+ with]
4. countable noun
An encounter is a particular type of experience.
...a sexual encounter.
...his first serious encounter with alcohol. [+ with]
