Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense duels, present participle duelling, past tense, past participle duelledregional note: in AM, use dueling, dueled
1. countable noun
A duel is a formal fight between two people in which they use guns or swords in order to settle a quarrel.
He had killed a man in a duel.
Synonyms: single combat, fight, battle, confrontation More Synonyms of duel
2. countable noun
You can refer to a conflict between two people or groups as a duel.
The area has been the scene of sporadic artillery duels over the last six weeks.
3. verb
To duel means to fight a duel or be involved in a conflict.
We duelled for two years and Peterson made the most of it, playing us off againsteach other. [VERB]
...two silver French duelling pistols. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: fight, struggle, clash, compete More Synonyms of duel
More Synonyms of duel
duel in British English
(ˈdjuːəl)
noun
1.
a prearranged combat with deadly weapons between two people following a formal procedure in the presence of seconds and traditionally fought until one party was wounded or killed, usually to settle a quarrel involving a point of honour
2.
a contest or conflict between two persons or parties
verbWord forms: duels, duelling, duelledWord forms: USduels, dueling or dueled(intransitive)
3.
to fight in a duel
4.
to contest closely
Derived forms
dueller (ˈdueller) or US dueler (ˈdueler)
noun
duellist (ˈduellist) or US duelist (ˈduelist)
noun
Word origin
C15: from Medieval Latin duellum, from Latin, poetical variant of bellum war; associated by folk etymology with Latin duo two
duel in American English
(ˈduəl; ˈdjuəl)
noun
1.
a formal fight between two persons armed with deadly weapons: it is prearranged andwitnessed by two others, called seconds, one for each combatant
2.
any contest or encounter suggesting such a fight, usually between two persons
a verbal duel
verb intransitive, verb transitiveWord forms: ˈdueled or ˈduelled, ˈdueling or ˈduelling
3.
to fight a duel with (a person or persons)
Derived forms
duelist (ˈduelist)
Word origin
ME duelle < ML duellum < OL dvellum (L bellum), war < IE base *dāu-, *deu-, to injure, destroy, burn > Sans dū, pain, OE teona, harm
Examples of 'duel' in a sentence
duel
They were expected to renew the duel last night at a meeting called in a last-ditch effort to resurrect the ceasefire.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
To lose by so tiny a margin after an epic duel lasting almost two hours was cruel.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Two knights have at each other in what seems almost to be a personal duel.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The spot kick was a duel between the two best players on the pitch.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Men also met there to fight duels.
Rodney Bolt HISTORY PLAY: The Lives and After-life of Christopher Marlowe (2004)
It was reported this week that the two veteran duelling divas are still at it.
The Sun (2007)
One of the great duels of the summer is taking place in slow motion in front of us.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
This is a relic of the days when you might have to roll them back to fight a duel.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He was notorious for his hot temper and instant readiness to fight a duel with anyone who crossed him.
Stewart Lamont WHEN SCOTLAND RULED THE WORLD: The Story of the Golden Age of Genius, Creativityand Exploration (2002)
Not to mention our own epic duel on the game, which remains ongoing.
The Sun (2014)
Many thousands felt let down by their aborted duel at York last month.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The score in their personal duel is 2-2.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He turns cricket into a personal duel, sometimes too much so.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The awful prospect for purists is that Olympic year may become a pantomime duel between the two.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
All the pre-match hype was about the duel of the two superstars.
The Sun (2013)
Fifteen races down in this arduous season, and this championship is being transformed from a mob fight to a duel.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
So when you see a great duel between great champions, you should be able to see who has got it and who has not.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
French Socialists were struggling to save their party from destruction yesterday after an inconclusive leadership contest sparked a duel to the death between the two contenders.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Public awareness of the great Gold Cup duel is hugely increased.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This is the strange story of what happened before, during and after the last duel fought in Scotland.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Before he left, he earned a footnote in history by fighting the last formal duel on Austrian soil.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Indeed the idea of a great public duel between the two men dissolves on closer examination; in fact, they had little direct contact.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
duel
British English: duel NOUN
A duel is a formal fight between two people in which they use guns or swords in order to settle a quarrel.