Also 6 coombat, 6–8 combate, 7 cumbat. [a. F. combat, f. combattre to combat. In early use combate was frequent; cf. debate.]
1. An encounter or fight between two armed persons (parties, animals, etc.), a duel; spec. as in trial by combat, a duel allowed by law for the formal decision of a cause or dispute; = BATTLE 2.
[Britton (1292) has combattre, but instead of combat, bataille appears: cf. BATTLE 2.]
1567. Turberv., Louer to Cupid, Poems, 48. Then the fiercest fight of all and combat did arise.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 346. A battaile or Combate done and holden in the Kings Palayce at Westminster, betwene one called Garcon Appellaunt, and Sir John Anslye Knight Defendaunt. Ibid., II. 396. The Duke of Norffolk affirmed constantly hys tale to be true, and refused not the Combate.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 43. His cause in combat the next day to try.
1617. Minsheu, Ductor Ling., Combat in our Common Law is taken for a formall triall of a doubtfull cause or quarrell by the sword or bastons, of two champions.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 766. Where Champions bold … Defi’d the best of Panim chivalry To mortal combat.
1827. Scott, Tales Grandf., Ser. I. xvii. (1841), 57/1. That the difference should be decided by a combat of thirty men of the Clan Chattan, against the same number of the Clan Kay. Ibid. (1828), F. M. Perth, xxi.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., vi. 294. Orlando … challenged him to mortal combat.
b. Hence, single combat.
1622. Capt. Smith, New Eng. Trials, Wks. (Arb.), 263. It was also my chance in single combat to take the King of Paspahegh prisoner.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. (1682), 460, margin. A single Combat between a Spanish Earl and a Scottish Traveller.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 70, ¶ 8. These brave Men had distinguished themselves in the Battle and in single Combat.
1835. Thirlwall, Greece, I. 255. Hyllus … proposed to decide the quarrel by single combat.
2. gen. A fight between opposing forces; struggle, contest; usually on a smaller scale than a battle. (Used both with and without a and pl.)
[Hart’s ed. (1616), of Barbour’s Bruce, II. 438, has Giff thai will chace Quyt thaim combat sum dele we sall [MS. reading (Skeat) Quyt thaim torn but sum-dele we sall.]
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 58. In valiant coombat thee Troians sturdye resisted.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., 61. The Maister resolued to make combate below … to saue vs from small shot.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., xlix. 193. Eight hundred Mahometans, men of combat.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, VII. 363. Alexander had appeared to him, armed for combat.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 437. In a succession of combats the advantage was on the side of the confederates.
3. fig. A conflict; struggle, strife; controversy.
1567. Triall Treas. (1850), 18. They haue not … battel and combate Against the cogitations that inwardly spring.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., V. ii. 79. The Noble Combat, that ’twixt Joy and Sorrow was fought in Paulina.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., i. § 5. 9. The combate of wits.
1875. Jowett, Plato, V. 33. Is courage only a combat against fear and pain?
4. attrib. and Comb., as combat-field.
1825. Hogg, Q. Hynde, 221. Upon the glorious combat-field.
