Obs. [It. contrasto contention, strife, f. contrastare to withstand, strive: see CONTRAST v.] Contention, strife; = CONTRAST sb. 1.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. vi. (1726), 53 (D.). There was … a great contrasto in the conclave ’twixt the Spanish and French faction. Ibid. (1652), Masaniello, II. 39.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Contrasto … strife, contention.
1671. Gumble, Life of Monk, 4. Upon this Contrasto, he was forced to avoid the fury of this enraged Lawyer, and turn Souldier.
