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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Struggle


STRUGGLE, verb intransitive [This word may be formed on the root of stretch, right, etc. which signifies to strain; or more directly on the same elements in Latin , to wrinkle.]

1. Properly, to strive, or to make efforts with a twisting or with contortions of the body. Hence,

2. To use great efforts; to labor hard; to strive; to contend; as, to struggle to save life; to struggle with the waves; to struggle against the stream; to struggle with adversity.

3. To labor in pain or anguish; to be in agony; to labor in any kind of difficulty or distress.

Tis wisdom to beware, and better shun the bait than struggle in the snare.

STRUGGLE, noun

1. Great labor; forcible effort to obtain an object, or to avoid an evil; properly, a violent effort with contortions of the body.

2. Contest; contention; strife.

An honest man might look upon the struggle with indifference.

3. Agony; contortions of extreme distress.