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Encounter vs Relationship - What's the difference?

encounter | relationship |

As nouns the difference between encounter and relationship

is that encounter is an unplanned or unexpected meeting while relationship is connection or association; the condition of being related.

As a verb encounter

is to meet (someone) or find (something) unexpectedly.

encounter

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete) * incounter (archaic) * incountre (obsolete)

Verb

(en verb)
  • To meet (someone) or find (something) unexpectedly.
  • To confront (someone or something) face to face.
  • (ambitransitive) To engage in conflict, as with an enemy.
    • Three armies encountered at Waterloo.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I will encounter with Andronicus.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An unplanned or unexpected meeting.
  • :
  • *
  • *:That was Selwyn's first encounter with the Ruthvens. A short time afterward at the opera Gerald dragged him into a parterre to say something amiable to one of the amiable débutante Craig girls—and Selwyn found himself again facing Alixe.
  • A hostile meeting; a confrontation or skirmish.
  • A sudden, often violent clash, as between combatants.
  • (label) A match between two opposing sides.
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=October 29, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal , passage=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 .}}

    Synonyms

    * (unplanned meeting ): * (hostile meeting ): clash, confrontation, brush, skirmish

    Derived terms

    * close encounter * encounter group

    relationship

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Connection or association; the condition of being related.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist), author=Schumpeter
    • , title= Cronies and capitols , passage=Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector.}}
  • Kinship; being related by blood or marriage.
  • A romantic or sexual involvement.
  • A way in which two or more people behave and are involved with each other
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=August 5, author=Nathan Rabin
    • , title= TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993) , passage=“I Love Lisa” opens with one of my favorite underappreciated running jokes from The Simpsons : the passive-aggressive, quietly contentious relationship of radio jocks Bill and Marty, whose mindless happy talk regularly gives way to charged exchanges that betray the simmering resentment and disappointment perpetually lingering just under the surface of their relationship .}}
  • (music) The level or degree of affinity between keys, chords and tones.

    • Derived terms

    *

    See also

    * relate * relation * relative