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Misfortune vs Encounter - What's the difference?

misfortune | encounter |

As nouns the difference between misfortune and encounter

is that misfortune is bad luck while encounter is an unplanned or unexpected meeting.

As a verb encounter is

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

misfortune

English

Noun

  • (uncountable) bad luck
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
    • Cycling's complex etiquette contains an unwritten rule that riders in contention for a race win should not be penalised for sheer misfortune .
    The worst tour I have ever had the misfortune to experience.
    It was my fortune, or misfortune , to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training. - Ulysses S. Grant
  • (countable) an undesirable event such as an accident
  • * 1839 , Charles Robert Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle. , Chapter X
    • The snowstorm, which was the cause of their misfortune , happened in the middle of January, corresponding to our July, and in the latitude of Durham!
    She had to come to terms with a number of misfortunes .

    Related terms

    * misfortunate

    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 dĂ©butante 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