encounter

Etymology

From Middle English encountren, from Anglo-Norman encountrer, Old French encontrer (“to confront”), from encontre (“against, counter to”), from Late Latin incontrā (“in front of”) itself from Latin in (“in”) + contrā (“against”).

verb

1. (transitive) To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
   It ran derailed for about 500 yards before encountering a set of points, which caused it to veer into the path of an Immingham-Ferrybridge coal train, powered by Freightliner 66521 (one of a class of locomotive well-known for being well-built enough to destroy anything that got in its way). February 24 2021, Greg Morse, “Great Heck: a tragic chain of events”, in RAIL, number 925, page 39
2. (transitive) To confront (someone or something) face to face.
3. (transitive, intransitive) To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.
   Three armies encountered at Waterloo.
4. (transitive, India) To execute someone extrajudicially.
   Speaking to the media, Reddy said, "He (Accused in 6-year-old rape and murder case) should be encountered. We will nab the accused and will encounter him. We will stand by the victim's family. We console them and will provide aid to the family. We will encounter him (the accused)." 15 September 2021, “Telangana Minister says, rapist of six-year-old will be nabbed and killed in encounter”, in Catch News, retrieved 2023-02-25

noun

1. A meeting, especially one that is unplanned or unexpected.
   Their encounter was a matter of chance.
   As they have planned the encounters, they mostly have control over the time limits. 1995, Maija Kalin, Coping with problems of understanding: repair sequences in coversations between native and non-native speakers
2. A hostile, often violent meeting; a confrontation, skirmish, or clash, as between combatants.
3. (sports) A match between two opposing sides.
   Andre Santos equalised and the outstanding Theo Walcott put Arsenal ahead for the first time before Juan Mata's spectacular strike set up the finale for an enthralling encounter. October 29, 2011, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal”, in BBC Sport
4. (sexuality) A sexual encounter; sexual activity, especially unplanned or unexpected, between people not in a sexual relationship, that usually does not lead to the establishment of a relationship, and may or may not happen again. A sexual encounter could be consensual or non-consensual; in the latter case, it is a sexual assault. A consensual sexual encounter that happens only once is commonly known as a one-night stand.
   Though Mr. Cosby described the sexual encounter in 2004 as consensual, Ms. Constand said she was too intoxicated to physically or verbally resist. 10 October 2021, Graham Bowley, “For One Bill Cosby Juror, the Work Did Not End With the Trial”, in The New York Times
5. (India) An extrajudicial killing or execution.
   Telangana Labour and Employment Minister Malla Reddy on Tuesday said that the guilty person in the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in Hyderabad "will be nabbed and will be killed in an encounter". 15 September 2021, “Telangana Minister says, rapist of six-year-old will be nabbed and killed in encounter”, in Catch News, retrieved 2023-02-25