1. (n.) An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons.

2. (n.) The act of a sentry in halting any one who appears at his post, and demanding the countersign.

3. (n.) A claim or demand.

4. (n.) The opening and crying of hounds at first finding the scent of their game.

5. (n.) An exception to a juror or to a member of a court martial, coupled with a demand that he should be held incompetent to act; the claim of a party that a certain person or persons shall not sit in trial upon him or his cause.

6. (n.) An exception to a person as not legally qualified to vote. The challenge must be made when the ballot is offered.

7. (n.) To call to a contest of any kind; to call to answer; to defy.

8. (n.) To call, invite, or summon to answer for an offense by personal combat.

9. (n.) To claim as due; to demand as a right.

10. (n.) To censure; to blame.

11. (n.) To question or demand the countersign from (one who attempts to pass the lines); as, the sentinel challenged us, with Who comes there?

12. (n.) To take exception to; question; as, to challenge the accuracy of a statement or of a quotation.

13. (n.) To object to or take exception to, as to a juror, or member of a court.

14. (n.) To object to the reception of the vote of, as on the ground that the person in not qualified as a voter.

15. (v. i.) To assert a right; to claim a place.

Socratic method affront arouse ask ask for asking attack awake a doubt awaken baffle balk banter battle cry be contrary to be diffident be doubtful be dubious be skeptical be uncertain beard beef belie bestir bid defiance bid to combat bitch blackmail blast boggle boycott brave breast bring before bring forward bring up bringing into question bucking call call for call in question call into question call out calling cartel catechetical method catechization catechizing challenge checkmate circumvent claim claiming clamor for combative reaction compete compete with complain complain loudly complaint compunction confound confront confront with confrontation contend with contention contest contradict contradiction contravention contraversion controvert cope counter counteract counteraction countermand counterwork counterworking cross crosscurrent crossing cry for cry out against dare dash declaration of war declare war defeat defi defiance defy demand demanding demonstrate demonstrate against demonstration demur demurral demurrer denial deny destroy difficulty discomfit disconcert discountenance dish dispute dissent dissentience distrust double dare double-dare doubt elude emulate encounter enter a protest envisage exact exacting examination exception expostulate expostulation extort face face down face out face up to face with flummox foil fractiousness front frustrate gage gage of battle gainsay gauntlet glove greet with skepticism grievance grievance committee half believe harbor suspicions have reservations head wind holler howl impose impugn impugnation impugnment indent indignation meeting inquiring insistence interpellation interrogation invitation invite issue an ultimatum jockey kick kick against kindle knock the chocks lay before lay claim to levy levy war on make a demand make a stand make war on march meet meet head-on meet squarely misgive mistrust negate negation negativism noncooperation nonplus nonviolent protest object object to objection obstinacy offer resistance open hostilities oppose opposing opposition opposure oppugn oppugnation order order up outdare outvie passive resistance perplex picket picketing place an order place before postulate present to press objections pretend to probing problem protest protest demonstration protestation provocation provoke pumping put in requisition put it to qualm query querying question questioning quiz quizzing raise a howl raise a question rally reaction rebel yell rebuff rebut rebutment rebuttal recalcitrance recalcitrancy recalcitrate recalcitration refractoriness refusal reject rejection reluct reluctance remonstrance remonstrate remonstration renitence