conquer

verb (conquered; conquering) Etymology: Middle English, to acquire, conquer, from Anglo-French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin *conquaerere, alteration of Latin conquirere to search for, collect, from com- + quaerere to ask, search Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to gain or acquire by force of arms ; subjugate <

conquer territory

> 2. to overcome by force of arms ; vanquish <

conquered the enemy

> 3. to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition <

conquered the mountain

> 4. to overcome by mental or moral power ; surmount <

conquered her fear

> intransitive verb to be victorious • conqueror noun Synonyms: conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy. conquer implies gaining mastery of <

Caesar conquered Gaul

>. vanquish implies a complete overpowering <

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

>. defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals <

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

>. subdue implies a defeating and suppression <

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

>. reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender <

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

>. overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle <

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

>. overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power <

violently overthrew the old regime

>.