ˈstrʌɡl v. & n. --v.intr. 1
make forceful or
violent efforts to
get free of
restraint or constriction. 2 (often foll. by
for, or to + infin.) make violent or
determined efforts
under difficulties;
strive hard (struggled for
supremacy; struggled to get
the words out). 3 (foll. by
with, against)
contend;
fight strenuously (struggled with the
disease; struggled
against superior numbers). 4 (foll. by
along,
up, etc.) make one's
way with
difficulty (struggled to my feet). 5 (esp. as struggling adj.)
have difficulty in gaining
recognition or a
living (a struggling artist). --n. 1 the
act or a spell of struggling. 2 a hard or confused
contest. 3 a determined
effort under difficulties. øthe struggle for
existence (or life) the
competition between organisms
esp. as an
element in
natural selection, or between persons seeking a
livelihood. øøstruggler n. [ME strugle
frequent. of uncert. orig. (perh. imit.)]