Conquest Meaning
/ˈkɒŋkwɛst/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn act or instance of achieving victory through combat; the subjugation of an enemy.
nounAn act or instance of gaining control of or mastery over something, overcoming obstacles.
Sentence Examples
The Normans' conquest of England had a great effect on the English language.
This is what is called the Norman Conquest.
The horse is the noblest conquest ever made by man.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The empire's ____ of neighboring territories brought immense riches and slaves.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The brutal military ____ of the island resulted in a completely new sovereign government.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin quaerō Latin conquirō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin conquīsītusder. Old French conquestebor. Middle English conquest English conquest Inherited from Middle English conquest, borrowed from Old French conqueste.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Three years sufficed for the conquest of the country."
— 1843, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico, […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper and Brothers, […], →OCLC:
"The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much."
— 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 194:
"Therefore, this dream of the human conquest of selfishness appeared devoid of any strong sense of the necessity of internal struggle to overcome it"
— 2002, Merle Goldman, Leo Ou-fan Lee, An intellectual history of modern China, →ISBN, page 21:
"Wherefore rejoice? What conquest brings he home?"
— 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
"What we call purchase, perquisitio, the feudists called conquest, conqucestus, or conquisitio"
— 1765–1769, William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, (please specify |book=I to IV), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The empire's ____ of neighboring territories brought immense riches and slaves.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The brutal military ____ of the island resulted in a completely new sovereign government.