conquer

• conquire (obsolete)

From Middle English conqueren, from Old French conquerre, from Late Latin conquaerere (“to knock, strike; to search for, procure”), from Latin con- + quaerere (“to seek, acquire”). Displaced native Old English oferwinnan.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒŋkə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑŋkɚ/
• Hyphenation: con‧quer
• Rhymes: -ɒŋkə(ɹ)

• Audio (US)

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• Homophone: conker

conquer (third-person singular simple present conquers, present participle conquering, simple past and past participle conquered)

1. To defeat in combat; to subjugate.
2. To acquire by force of arms, win in war; to become ruler of; to subjugate.

   In 1453, the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople.

   • 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], OCLC 837166078, [verse 17]; 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Field, […], 1594, OCLC 701755207, lines [97–100]:

     I haue beene wooed, as I intreat thee now, / Euen by the ſterne, and direfull God of warre, / VVhoſe ſinowie necke in battel nere did bow, / VVho conquers where he comes in euery iarre; […]

   • 1714, Alexander Pope, Imitation of Horace, Book II. Sat. 6

     We conquer'd France, but felt our captive's charms.

   • 1912, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World‎:

     "Look at Clive - just a clerk, and he conquered India!"

   • 1992, Nixon, Richard, “The Pacific Triangle”, in Seize the Moment‎, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, LCCN 91-37743, OCLC 440652941, page 170:

     Taiwan's interests and Hong Kong's political and economic future are best served by close ties between their friends in the West and Beijing. For example, the fact that the PRC must choose between using force to conquer Taiwan and forfeiting its relationship with the United States is the best guarantee of Taipei's security.

3. To overcome an abstract obstacle.

   Today I conquered my fear of flying by finally boarding a plane.

   to conquer difficulties or temptations

   • 1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398, page 1:

     By winning words to conquer willing hearts, / And make persuasion do the work of fear.

   • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., OCLC 222716698:

     The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained.

4. (dated) To gain, win, or obtain by effort.

   to conquer freedom;   to conquer a peace