FluentPlex

encounter

/ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/ noun B1
  1. A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected. · Their encounter was a matter of chance.
  2. A hostile, often violent meeting; a confrontation, skirmish, or clash, as between combatants.
  3. A match between two opposing sides.
  4. A sexual encounter; sexual activity, especially unplanned or unexpected, between two people who have not already established a sexual relationship with each other. In many cases, it does not lead to a relationship, and thus is utterly transient. A sexual encounter can be consensual or non-consensual; in the latter case, it is known as sexual assault. A consensual sexual encounter that happens only once is commonly known as a one-night stand.
  5. The period of a space mission during which it carries out its data-gathering objectives.
  6. An extrajudicial killing or execution.

Plural encounters

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From the library

He never said a great deal, nor did she give herself the trouble of talking or of listening much; but it struck her in the course of their third encounter that he was asking some odd unconnected questions--about her pleasure in being at Hunsford, her love of solitary walks, and her opinion of Mr.
Pride and Prejudice, p. 211 · B2
He had, moreover, looked upon the customs officer wounded to death, and, whether from heat of blood produced by the encounter, or the chill of human sentiment, this sight had made but slight impression upon him.
The Count of Monte Cristo, p. 240 · C1
Collins would have led them round his two meadows; but the ladies, not having shoes to encounter the remains of a white frost, turned back; and while Sir William accompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and friend over the house, extremely well pleased, probably, to have the opportunity of showing it without her husband’s help.
Pride and Prejudice, p. 182 · B2
Oh, no, he was afraid to encounter him face to face.”
The Count of Monte Cristo, p. 883 · C1

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Words, meanings, pronunciations and translations from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); how common each word is from wordfreq. Made into this dictionary by FluentPlex.