3 → see also bone of contention
4 PHRASE If you are in contention in a contest, you have a chance of winning it. □ [+ for ] He was in contention for a place in the European championship squad.
con|ten|tious /kənte nʃəs/ ADJ A contentious issue causes a lot of disagreement or arguments. [FORMAL ] □ Sanctions are expected to be among the most contentious issues. □ …a country where land prices are politically contentious.
con|tent|ment /kənte ntmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Contentment is a feeling of quiet happiness and satisfaction. □ I cannot describe the feeling of contentment that was with me at that time.
co n|tent pro|vi d|er (content providers ) N‑COUNT A content provider is a company that supplies material such as text, music, or images for use on websites. [COMPUTING ] □ …content providers such as CNN and MTV.
con|test ◆◇◇ (contests , contesting , contested ) The noun is pronounced /kɒ ntest/. The verb is pronounced /kənte st/. 1 N‑COUNT A contest is a competition or game in which people try to win. □ Few contests in the recent history of British boxing have been as thrilling. □ …a writing contest.
2 → see also beauty contest
3 N‑COUNT A contest is a struggle to win power or control. □ The state election due in November will be the last such ballot before next year's presidential contest. □ [+ between ] …a clear contest between church and state.
4 VERB If someone contests an election or competition, they take part in it and try to win it. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] He quickly won his party's nomination to contest the elections. □ [V -ed] …a closely contested regional flower show.
5 VERB If you contest a statement or decision, you object to it formally because you think it is wrong or unreasonable. □ [V n] Your former employer has to reply within 14 days in order to contest the case. □ [V -ed] Gender discrimination is a hotly-contested issue.
con|test|ant /kənte stənt/ (contestants ) N‑COUNT A contestant in a competition or quiz is a person who takes part in it.
con|text ◆◇◇ /kɒ ntekst/ (contexts )
1 N‑VAR [oft adj N ] The context of an idea or event is the general situation that relates to it, and which helps it to be understood. □ [+ of ] We are doing this work in the context of reforms in the economic, social and cultural spheres. □ …the historical context in which Chaucer wrote.
2 N‑VAR The context of a word, sentence, or text consists of the words, sentences, or text before and after it which help to make its meaning clear. □ Without a context, I would have assumed it was written by a man.
3 PHRASE If something is seen in context or if it is put into context , it is considered together with all the factors that relate to it. □ Taxation is not popular in principle, merely acceptable in context. □ It is important that we put Jesus into the context of history.
4 PHRASE If a statement or remark is quoted out of context , the circumstances in which it was said are not correctly reported, so that it seems to mean something different from the meaning that was intended. □ Thomas says that he has been taken out of context on the issue. SYNONYMS context NOUN 1
circumstances: The strategy was too dangerous in the explosive circumstances of the times.
times: We are in one of the most severe recessions in modern times.
conditions: The conditions are ripe for the spread of disease.
situation: Army officers said the situation was under control.
con|tex|tual /kənte kstʃuəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A contextual issue or account relates to the context of something. [FORMAL ] □ The writer builds up a clever contextual picture of upper-class life.
con|tigu|ous /kənt I gjuəs/ ADJ Things that are contiguous are next to each other or touch each other. [FORMAL ] □ [+ with ] Its vineyards are virtually contiguous with those of Ausone. □ [+ to ] …two years of travel throughout the 48 contiguous states.
con|ti|nent ◆◇◇ /kɒ nt I nənt/ (continents )
1 N‑COUNT A continent is a very large area of land, such as Africa or Asia, that consists of several countries. □ She loved the African continent. □ Dinosaurs evolved when most continents were joined in a single land mass.
2 N‑PROPER People sometimes use the Continent to refer to the continent of Europe except for Britain. [mainly BRIT ] □ Its shops are among the most stylish on the Continent.
con|ti|nen|tal /kɒ nt I ne nt ə l/ (continentals )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Continental means situated on or belonging to the continent of Europe except for Britain. [mainly BRIT ] □ He sees no signs of improvement in the U.K. and continental economy.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] A continental is someone who comes from the continent of Europe. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
3 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you describe someone or something as continental , you think that they are typical of the continent of Europe. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
4 ADJ [ADJ n] Continental is used to refer to something that belongs to or relates to a continent. □ The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] The continental United States consists of all the states which are situated on the continent of North America, as opposed to Hawaii and territories such as the Virgin Islands. [mainly AM ] □ Shipping is included on orders sent within the continental U.S.