Contest Win Close Noun ˈkɒntest ˈkɑːntest Hold Singing/Talent

• to hold a singing/talent contest
• to enter/win a contest
• she was awarded the first prize in an essay contest .
• it was a close contest between two evenly matched crews.

contest

1. a competition in which people try to win something
• SEE ALSO beauty contest
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/beauty-contest
• to hold a singing/talent contest
• to enter/win a contest
• She was awarded the first prize in an essay contest .
• It was a close contest between two evenly matched crews.
• He said he had enjoyed the contest with his rival for the title .
• a contest to win a free tickets to the concert

Extra Examples

• He won his opening contest against Costa of Argentina.
• Jackson has injured his knee and is now out of the contest.
• Sporting contests are held in the arena.
• The New Zealanders are looking forward to future contests with South Africa.
• The contest was too one-sided to be exciting.
• The contestants are eliminated one by one until the last two compete in a head-to-head contest.
• The other bidders for the contract complained that it had not been a fair contest.
• They won the doubles contest against the Williams sisters.
• This contest is wide open: any of half a dozen teams could win it.
• the contest between these two great boxers
• She's the favourite for this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
• To enter the contest, simply send an email to this address…
2. a struggle to gain control or power
• the leadership/presidential contest
• Both parties are predicting victory in this close contest.
• a contest for the leadership of the party
• a contest between traditional and liberal views
• It looks like being a close-fought contest with the Conservatives.
• the contest to gain control of the party

Extra Examples

• During the election contest newspapers are not allowed to publish public opinion polls.
• In the animal kingdom intruders usually lose contests over territories.
3. used to say that one side in a competition is so much stronger or better than the other that it is sure to win easily

Word Origin

• late 16th cent. (as a verb in the sense ‘swear to, attest’): from Latin contestari ‘call upon to witness, initiate (by calling witnesses)’, from con- ‘together’ + testare ‘to witness’. The senses ‘wrangle, struggle for’ arose in the early 17th cent., which gave rise to the current noun and verb senses.