conquer
verbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈkɒŋkə//
- United States//ˈkɑŋkɚ//
To defeat in combat; to subjugate.
verb
- 1
To defeat in combat; to subjugate.
I lay in the desert beyond all cities and sounds, and above me flowed the River of Silence through the sky; and on the desert’s edge night fought against the Sun, and suddenly conquered.
- 2
To become a leader, decisive factor or champion in an area.
With her successes, she has truly conquered the committee, all of whose members now defer to her on most issues.
It was his campaign manager's strategy that truly conquered the election for him.
By the end of the season, he had conquered the sport of baseball.
- 3
To acquire by force of arms, win in war; to become ruler of; to subjugate.
In 1453, the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople.
I haue beene wooed, as I intreat thee now, / Euen by the ſterne, and direfull God of warre, / VVhoſe ſinowie necke in battel nere did bow, / VVho conquers where he comes in euery iarre; […]
We conquer'd France, but felt our captive's charms.
"Look at Clive - just a clerk, and he conquered India!"
- 4
To overcome an abstract obstacle.
Today I conquered my fear of flying by finally boarding a plane.
to conquer difficulties or temptations
By winning words to conquer willing hearts, / And make persuasion do the work of fear.
The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.
- 5
datedTo gain, win, or obtain by effort.
to conquer freedom; to conquer a peace
Etymology
From Middle English conqueren, from Old French conquerre, from Late Latin conquaerere (“to knock, strike; to search for, procure”), from Latin con- + quaerere (“to seek, acquire”). Displaced native Old English oferwinnan.
Forms
- past tense
- conquered
- past participle
- conquered
- present participle
- conquering
- third person singular
- conquers