v. Pa. t. strove, pa. pple. striven. Forms: 3–8 stryve, 4 strijf, strivi, striwe, 4–5 stryf, 4, 6 strif, 4–6 stryfe, 4–7 strife, 5 stryff, 5–6 stryffe, 5–7 strywe, 7 strivve, 3– strive. Pa. t. α. weak forms 3 strivede, 3–9 strived, 4 stryvede, 6 strivde, stryved, Sc. stryvit, 7 strivd. β. strong forms 3–5 strof, 4 stroove, 4–5 stroof, 8 struive, 9 dial. struv, 4– strove; 4 straff, 4–6 Sc. strafe, straif, 5 Sc. straiff, 5–9 strave, 6 Sc. straiv, straw(e; also pl. 4–5 stryue (i), streven. Pa. pple. α. weak forms 4 ystrived, 4–9 strived. β. strong forms 4 streven, -yn, strivin, stryve, stryven, Sc. strewine, striwine, -yn, strifine, 6 strevin, 6–7 stroven, 7–9 strove, 7 strivve, 4– striven. [ME. strīve-n (13th c.), a. OF. estriver (early mod.F. étriver: still preserved in some dialects), to quarrel, contend: of disputed origin.
The verb is not found outside Fr., the alleged Pr. estribar cited by etymologists having no existence. It is commonly believed to be of Teut. etymology. According to some scholars, OF. estriver is f. estrif (whence STRIFE sb.), which is regarded as a modification of the older OF. (and Pr.) estrit, (= OIt. strido, strio), a. OTeut. *strīđo- strife, combat, related to *strīđan to fight: see STRIDE v. According to others, the OF. verb (of which, on this view, the sb. estrif is a derivative) is a. OTeut. *striƀan str. vb. (Mid. G. strîben, early mod.Du. strijven, though these are prob. of secondary origin), f. root *striƀ-, of which the ablaut-variant *striƀ- is represented by the weak verb MLG. streven (mod. LG. strewen), (M)Du. straven, MHG., mod.G. streben, to endeavor, struggle (= sense 9 below), also (from LG.) Sw. sträfva, Da. stræbe. Both explanations present some unsolved difficulties; the former is more satisfactory with regard to sense, but the notions of ‘conflict’ and ‘endeavor’ easily pass the one into the other.
The strong conjugation (on the analogy of drive etc.) is found somewhat earlier than the weak conjugation which would be normal for a verb adopted from Fr., and has always been the more frequent of the two, though many examples of strived pa. t. and pa. pple. occur in writers of every period from the 14th to the 19th c. The Bible of 1611 has always strove in the pa. t.; the pa. pple. is strived, striven (one example each). The irregular pa. pple. strove (after the pa. t.; cf. the form stroven of the 16–17th c.) appears first in the 17th c., and remained somewhat common down to the middle of the 19th c., but is now confined to illiterate use.]
1. intr. To be in a state of variance or mutual hostility. ? Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 84. Þus ha beoð bisie i þisse fule mester, & eiðer mid oðer striueð her abuten.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 623. Þe king miȝte segge þat in a luþer time he striuede wiþ his wiue.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 293. With his barons he striued, with him wild non go. A kyng þat striues with hise, he may not wele spede.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1470. Now lofe we, now hate, now saghtel, now strife.
1340. Ayenb., 154. Vor þe scele ssel by ase a trewe arbytres be-tuene þe goste and þe ulesse þet byeþ alneway striuinde.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 278. And therfore Thomas, trowe me if thee leste, Ne stryue nat with thy wyf, as for thy beste.
1508. Dunbar, Tua Mariit Wemen, 59. It is agane the law of luif, of kynd, and of nature, Togiddir hairtis to streine, that stryveis with vther.
1540. Palsgr., Acolastus, IV. iv. T iv. We shal not fyghte herefore .i. we will not fall at bate or stryue for this matter, or here aboute.
a. 1628. Ld. Brooke, Of Humane Learning, cxxxiii. Poems (1633), 48. For earth, and earthynesse it is alone, which envies, strifes, hates, or is malecontent.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxxii. They say you cannot live in Rome and strive with the Pope.
2. To quarrel, wrangle. Now rare (poet.).
c. 1290. Infancy Jesus, 883–5, in Horstm., Altengl. Leg. (1875), 31. Þis children bi gonne for to striue, And ech oþur þrettnede swiþe; So longue huy striueden with wicke mod, Þat euerech oþur vuele smot.
13[?]. Solomon’s Coronation, etc. 38, in A. Davy’s Dream (E.E.T.S.), 97. Ȝerne þai striueden & chid.
1382. Wyclif, Lev. xxiv. 10. A sone … of a womman of Yrael … hath streuen [Vulg. jurgatus est] in tentis with a man of Yrael.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour, 126. The doughter of a senatour of Rome, that had so cruell hert that she straue & chidde in the plaine strete wit her neyghboures.
1461. Paston Lett., II. 42. It is talkyd here how that ye and Howard schuld a’ strevyn togueder on the scher daye, and on of Howards men schuld a’ strekyn yow twyess with a dagere.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lxxxiii. 262. I began to stryue with my brother so hyely that Gybouars myght here me.
1860. Tennyson, Sea Dreams, 222. And still they strove and wrangled.
† b. To bandy words with a superior; to behave mutinously. Const. with, against. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 323. Þis is þe womman of Ethiopia for þe whiche Mary and Aaron stryue [L. jurgati sunt] with Moyses in desert.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet, iii. 7. Þat nan folu þair ahen wille, ne nan bare þaim sua heȝe, þat tay striue ogain þair abes.
c. 1430. Diatorie, 52, in Babees Bk. (1868), 58. First with þi bettir be waar for to stryue.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 153. Þou sall se me correcte þis ill servand, & teche hym rather to be meke & speke fayr, þan for to flite or strife with his maister.
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 226, in Babees Bk., 305. Also, my chylde, a-gaynes þy lorde Loke þou stryfe with no kyn worde.
3. To contend, carry on a conflict of any kind; esp. to contend with another or each other for (the possession of) something or for (a cause or principle).
c. 1290. Beket, 1544, in S. Eng. Leg., 150. In þe churche of Caunterburi me þouȝte i stod … And striuede for holi churche aȝen þe kinge and his.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. pr. ii. (1868), 33. Stryf or plete wiþ me [L. mecum contende] by fore what iuge þat þou wilt of þe possessioun of rycchesse or of dignites.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxvi. (Baptista), 720. We wil nocht for dignite striwe, ne quha sal gretare be.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 334. For this thei tellen that ben wise, Wicke is to stryve and have the werse.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. iii. 66. Oþerwiles men striuen for 0. peny riȝt shamfully.
c. 1485. Digby Myst., III. 1997. Than why shold I with my consyens st[r]yffe?
1530. Palsgr., 740/2. I stryve to gette an offyce that gothe by electyon, je estrine.
1567. R. Birrel, Diary (1798), 13. At this Parliament, the tounes of Dundie and Perth strave for the 2d place amongst the burrowes.
1609. Sir J. Harington, Nugæ Ant. (1804), II. 258. There it seemes also the colledges strave for him, he removed so oft.
1626. [Featley], Pelagius Rediv., To Rdr. A 2 b. The Doctrine so much strouen for, and so highly extolled by some, is it nothing but olde heresie new furbished ouer?
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 93. If intestine Broils allarm the Hive, (For two Pretenders oft for Empire strive) The Vulgar in divided Factions jar.
1847. Sarah Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., III. 281. The old and bitter enemies with whom they had so long striven.
1905. J. B. Bury, Life St. Patrick, vi. 108. The story has a sequel which tells how Patrick strove with the other enchanter.
b. To fight against temptation or the like; to wage spiritual warfare.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxvi. (Baptista), 470. Þe thrid is crone þat sal be giffine to marteris at here has wele striwine.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, Prol. 82. Þe story is of non estate þat stryuen with her lustus.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. i. 769. While Jesus strove with Sathan’s strong Temptations.
a. 1716. South, Serm. (1727), VI. 314. It is the tempted Person’s Duty … to fence, and strive, and oppose the Temptation with all his Art, as well as Resolution, that he can.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. iii. 211. In vain I strove Against the Tempter.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., xlii. Did ye never sleep in the same room wi’ him, and hear him strive in his dreams with the delusions of Satan?
c. With cognate object. rare.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxvii. (Machor), 1514. My strife I haf weile strifine.
1833. Tennyson, Two Voices, 150. Waiting to strive a happy strife, To war with falsehood to the knife.
d. To struggle with disease or suffering.
1666. G. Harvey, Morbus Angl., xxxii. (1672), 101. Forestus knew another woman that strove eight years with a Consumption.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 18. M. de la Haye … strove with his distemper, and took a journey to Adrianople.
1786. Burns, To Mountain Daisy, viii. Such fate to suffering worth is giv’n, Who long with wants and woes has striv’n.
† e. To struggle with hindrances. Const. to with inf. (Cf. sense 9.).
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., V. iii. 104. Ile striue with troubled noise [So Ff.; Qo. 1597 and mod. edd. thoughts], to take a Nap.
f. Of things: To be mutually opposed in action; to come into conflict with.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 315. The fuyre … stryueþ wiþ þe ayer.
c. 1425. Cast. Perseverance, 64. Envye, a-geyn Charyte strywyth ful ryth.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 63. This request is full of violence and robbery and striveth [L. pugnat] with the Gospell.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. i. 8. So striueth not the waues with sundry winds.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. I. 59. It swallyis vp hail schipis, and throuch the violence … of contrare workeng of the wais of the sey, quhen ilke streme stryues with vthir, drounes thame in the deip.
a. 1668. Denham, On Earl of Strafford’s Trial & Death, 17. Now private pity strove with publick hate, Reason with Rage, and Eloquence with Fate.
† 4. To contend in arms, fight with. Obs.
13[?]. K. Alis., 2870. How they stryveden for the kynriche.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 40. For so hette S. Dunstan, he suld alle his lyue With werre his lond welde, & with his suerd stryve.
1340–70. Alisaunder, 289. Philip enforceth hym now his folk for to gie;… Many mightfull menne made hee stryue.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3323. Your wille I moste wirke,… Syn weikenes of wemen may not wele stryve, Ne haue no might tawardes men maistries to fend.
c. 1470. Gol. & Gaw., 353. Wondir staluart and strang to striue in ane stour.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, Contents 10. How a knyght & a dwarf stroof for a lady.
1598. Bastard, Chrestol., VII. xlv. 183. Sakellus died striuing for the wall.
a. 1609. Sir F. Vere, Comm. (1657), 38. Whilest it was hard stroven and fought on that side, I sent a Captain … to see what guard was held along the wall toward the Bay-ward.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 418. The Germans strove againe for their parts with the like obstinate resolution.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XII. 57. Twice vanquish’d, while in bloody Fields we strive, Scarce in our Walls, we keep our Hopes alive.
1706. Prior, Ode to Queen, xxix. There Fleets shall strive by Winds and Waters tost.
† 5. To contend in words, dispute. Chiefly followed by dependent question. Obs.
1320–30. Horn Childe, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., III. 306. Anon thai gun to strive rathe, Whether of hem him schuld have To duelle in her meinè.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 48. Wit sain Jon gan thai to strife, And said [etc.].
138[?]. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 147. Jewis and disciplis or Joon strooven. Ibid. (1382), Jude i. 9. When Mychael,… disputinge with the deuel, stroof [Vulg. altercaretur] of Moyses body.
c. 1425. Eng. Conquest Irel. (1896), 32. Heruy … & Reymond vp dyuers domes strouen what men shold do wyth har pryson[er]s.
1471. Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 34. They argued and stroof to gyder that oon ayenst that other often tymes of this mater.
1535. Coverdale, Job xxxii. 1. So these thre men wolde stryue nomore with Iob, because he helde himself a rightuous man.
1567. Gude & Godlie Ball., 43. For cause thay knew him to depart, Thay straif quha suld be ouerest.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. 438. Saying that they had strouen together who should haue him to his house.
† b. To debate, discuss. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 13589. Þaa phariseus … Quen þai had striued þam emel … cuth na resun find, þai did þan bring again þat blind.
1340. Ayenb., 164. Þanne salomon huanne he hedde … of alle þinges and of foles and of wyse y-striued he zayde [etc.].
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 4099. My wyf … striued stifli with hire-self as stepmoderes wol alle, bi what wise sche miȝt best þat bold barn spille.
† c. To cavil, dispute. Const. of. Obs.
13[?]. Seuyn Sag., 1850. Go forth and strif nowt therof.
1541. R. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 C j b. It behoueth nat than thus miserably to stryue of the names.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. 1 Cor., Argt. 1 b. Finallye they stryued among them selues of matrimonye, by reason that euen at that tyme some christian men styflye defended, that men should wholy abstayne from mariage.
† 6. To contend in rivalry; to seek to surpass another or each other; to compete in a trial of strength or skill. Also to strive a vie (see A-VIE adv.). Obs.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 732. Þai straue wha first to lande myght wynne.
1509. [see A-VIE adv.].
1538. Starkey, England, I. iii. 92. Euery towne semyd to me to stryue wyth other, as hyt had byn for a vyctory, wych schold be more beutyful & strong.
1586. Lupton, 1000 Notable Things (1660), 75. A man … with swift running contended and strived with Dogs, and was hunted of them unhurt in the Woods.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXVIII. viii. 339. They run all at once striving a vie who shall be formost. [Holland often uses the phrase.]
a. 1610. Heywood & Rowley, Fortune by Land & Sea, III. iv. Fost. I have no money. Phil. But now you strived which man would lend me most.
1615. Chapman, Odyss., VIII. 179. When all had striu’d in these assaies their fill.
1619. Sir A. Gorges, trans. Bacon’s Wisdom Anc., xxvi. 124. Certaine games of Lampbearers, in which they that striued for the prize were wont to carie torches lighted.
1638. Mayne, Lucian (1664), 208. [They] smiled when they were rackt, and strived with their Tormentors who should be first tired.
1644. [see A-VIE adv.].
1648. Gage, West Ind., 14. The Galley slaves strived who should sound their Waits and Trumpets most joyfully.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 28. The Rival Chariots in the Race shall strive.
1725. Pope, Odyss., IV. 241. There with commutual zeal we both had strove, In acts of dear benevolence, and love.
fig. 1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. iii. 18. Patience and sorrow strove [So Pope and later edd.; Qq. streme] Who should express her goodliest.
1636. Brathwait, Rom. Emp., 372. All vertues in him contentiously strived to imbellish him.
a. 1700. Ken, Hymnotheo, Poet. Wks. 1721, III. 318. The bowing Fruits strove which should first be crop’d.
† b. Const. to with inf. Obs. (cf. sense 9).
1520. Barclay, Sallust, Batt. Jugurth, liv. (Pynson) 78 b. They stryued [L. certantes] to ascende vnto the walles euery man couetyng to be before other.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 52. The Kettle-drums and other their lingling Instruments stroue to deafe vs.
1638. Mayne, Lucian (1664), 140. But when the fame of the Oracle once pierced Italy, and arrived at Rome, every one strived to be first.
† c. To vie, to be equal or comparable with.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 398. Asaeles swiftschipe, þet strof wið heortes ouervrn.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 180. That Emelye, þat fairer was to sene Than is the lylie … For with the Rose colour stroof hire hewe.
1509. [see A-VIE adv.].
1540. Palsgr., Acolastus, II. iii. M ij b. Holde or take this money, and prepare vs a supper, that may stryue with a pontifycal or bishops feaste.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, I. xxxv. 50. The roote … striueth with the Florentine Iris in sweetnes.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 273. Nor that sweet Grove Of Daphne by Orontes … might with this Paradise Of Eden strive.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, V. 326. The Victor honour’d with a nobler Vest: Where Gold and Purple strive in equal Rows. Ibid. (1700), Meleager & Atalanta, 28. For Tusks with Indian Elephants he [the boar] strove.
7. To offer obstinate resistance, struggle against.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9306. For efter þat i es o-liue, Gains soth sal your eires striue.
c. 1300. Havelok, 2271. Þer-yen ne wolde neuer on striue, þat he ne maden sone þat oth.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 305. While Hunger was mayster heer wolde ther non chyde, Ne striue aȝeyn the statutes.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 41. No-þer ys non of hool mynde þat may stryf aȝeyn þis sentence.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxxv. 14. Thow suffer me to wirk gif thow do weill, And preiss the nocht to stryfe aganis my quheill, Quhilk every warldly thing dois turne and steir.
1530. Palsgr., 740/2. Thou stryvest agaynst a thyng that is evydent.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 136 b. They did not chaunge him wholy, which strove and defended his opinions stifly [L. reluctantem suaque defendentem].
1597. Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), 66. The wonderfull judgements which the king of kings hath sent vpon those that … resisted and stroue against the truth.
1606. G. W[oodcocke], Hist. Ivstine, IV. 22. Amongst the rest of these Tyrants, there was … one that striued against the cruelty of all the rest in the execution of Iustice.
c. 1709. Prior, 2nd Hymn Callim., 33. Against the Deity ’tis hard to strive.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 95. Vainly have I strove and struggled against you.
1858. H. Spencer, Ess., I. 308. The thing I desperately strove against as a misfortune did me immense good.
† b. with negative inf.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 101. Boiscus the Bœotian wrestler striued then, all he could, vnder pretence of sicknesse, not to carie his Target.
8. To struggle physically. Obs. exc. dial. of a horse: To be restive.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVIII. xv. (1495), 775. Whan the wylde oxe hath longe stryue and maye not delyuer hymself out of the bondes … thenne for indignacion he loowyth full lowde.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, III. (1577), Q ij b. And when she strived still more obstinatlye, at length with manye blowes and by force ouercame hir.
1562. T. Cooper, Answ. Def. Truth, xi. 83. The Deacon woulde not suffer so muche as the litle Infant to go without some parte [of the sacrament]: althoughe she striued against him, and scantely coulde force hir to take it.
1567. Turberv., Epit., etc. 34. The Nymph … in hir armes the naked Noorie strainde: Whereat the Boy began to striue a good, But strugling nought auailed in that plight.
1645. Gataker, God’s Eye on Israel, 21. New named, and in stead of Jacob styled Israel, by the Angel, whom he had so strived and struggled with, at their parting.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 564. As when Earths Son Antæus … in Irassa strove With Joves Alcides.
a. 1824. Ld. T. Stuart, xi. in Maidment, N. C. Garland, 3. The steeds they strave into [= in] their stables, The boys couldn’t get them bound.
b. To struggle, endeavor to make one’s way, against a natural force, e.g., winds, waves. Const. with, against.
The fig phrase to strive against the stream (see STREAM sb. 2 f) is perh. imitated from German: see quot. 1535 below.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24855. Quen þai had striuen ai quils þai moght, again þat storm al was for noght.
1535. Coverdale, Ecclus. iv. 26. Withstande not ye face of the mightie, and stryue not agaynst the streame [Luther strebe nicht wider den Strom].
1537. Cromwell, in Merriman, Life & Lett. (1902), II. 75. He that maketh you thus to stryve agenst the streame woll [etc.].
1559. Mirr. Mag., Dk. Glocester, xiv. To bridell the Prince of a Reame, Is euen … to striue with the streame.
1630. R. N., Camden’s Hist. Eliz., I. 38. The Marquesse of Albeuf … hauing striued with the violence of a tempest vpon the coast of Holland, was with the losse of some shippes … driuen back to Diepe.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, V. 37. We strive in vain against the Seas, and Wind.
9. To endeavor vigorously, use strenuous effort. Const. to with inf. (Cf. sense 6 b.)
Now the prevailing sense; the other senses, so far as they survive, are usually colored by this.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11569. All for noght can he [sc. Herod] to striue, Moght he noght iesu bring o liue.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Cor. v. 9. And therfore we stryuen [Vulg. contendimus] whether absent, whether present, for to plese him.
a. 1547. Surrey, Eccles. ii. 12. By princely actes thus straue I still, to make my fame indure.
1576. Gascoigne, Steele Gl., Wks. 1910, II. 145. I … Gan cleere my throte, and strave to sing my best.
1582. Breton, Flourish upon Fancy (Grosart), 52/2. Although he striu’de, and tooke great pains, asmuch as in him lay.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. iv. 30. Which of your Friends Haue I not stroue to loue, although I knew He were mine Enemy?
1638. W. Lisle, Heliodorus, X. 181. Sith I cannot free you, though I strivve, Aske what I may doe for you, whilst you liue, And I shall grant it.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 19. 45. He striv’d to undermine the edifice of my faith.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 574. Stags … strive in vain to make their way Through Hills of Snow, and pitifully bray.
1780. Cowper, Progr. Error, 582. Habits are soon assum’d; but when we strive To strip them off, ’tis being flay’d alive.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxxix. Having strove in vain to restore it [the casket] either to Tressilian or the Countess.
1831. T. Hope, Ess. Origin Man, I. 34. This is what I have at least strived to do. I have tried to discard all preconceived opinions.
1843. Lytton, Last Bar., I. iv. 27. He strove to lift himself from the ground, and at length succeeded.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, liii. It is our pride, not our trouble, to strive, John, and to strive together.
1865. Ruskin, Sesame, ii. § 72. She is to be taught to strive that her thoughts of piety may not be feeble in proportion to the number they embrace.
1880. Mahaffy, Descartes, ii. 12. He ever strove to keep on good terms with the Order [of Jesuits].
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, viii. Her voice trembled; she strove to keep her self-control.
b. transf. of things.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. x. (1912), 207. With that he groned, as if sorrow strave to breake his harte.
1597. Donne, Lett. Sev. Pers., Storme, 60. Even our Ordinance plac’d for our defence, Strive to breake loose.
1598. Brandon, Octavia, III. C 8 b. Looke how some proude hard harted mighty rocke … Repell’s the waters … Which mildely striue his body to imbrace.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 184. As if nature had only strouen to prouide sundry ready cures for this euill aboue all other.
1851. Ruskin, Stones Ven. (1874), I. Pref. p. vi. Modern Art is now striving to realize the promise of its poet.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vi. § 3. 294. A series of mercantile enactments strove to protect the growing interests of English commerce.
c. Const. after, for, † to, † unto (the object to be attained).
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23571. Quar-to þan suld we for-þer striue, Þan for to liue in santes liue?
a. 1591. H. Smith, Serm. (1594), 411. This is the state that a Christian should striue too, and neuer thinke that hee is sound at the heart til his thoughts be a kind of prayer.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. v. § 2. The immutabilitie of God they [sc. all things] striue vnto, by working … after one and the same maner.
1605. A. Warren, Poor Man’s Pass., C 2 b. Then Diuision striued for a store, To marre what golden Age had made before.
1849. Lytton, K. Arthur, X. lxi. Thrice strove the King for speech, and thrice in vain.
1850. Tennyson, In Mem., li. He for whose applause I strove.
1856. Miss Yonge, Daisy Chain, I. xxvi. If I had striven for the temper, it would be worth having, but it is my nature.
1877. C. Geikie, Christ, lvi. (1879), 678. The priesthood had striven after kingly power and rank.
10. To make one’s way with effort.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. xv. § 2. Now she brought them to see a seeled Dove, who, the blinder she was, the higher she strave.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. i. 18. But after the foule foster Timias did striue.
1813. Byron, Corsair, III. xix. He … Strives through the surge, bestrides the beach, and high Ascends the path familiar to his eye.
1874. Carpenter, Ment. Phys., I. ix. 412. Ever striving upwards, so as … to reach … a still loftier elevation.
† b. Of a thing: To force its way. Obs.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, X. 1160. The purple Streams thro’ the thin Armour strove, And drench’d th’ imbroider’d Coat his Mother wove.
