antagonist: [16] Greek agón (source of English agony) meant ‘contest, conflict’. Hence the concept of ‘struggling against (anti-) someone’ was conveyed in Greek by the verb antagōnízesthai. The derived noun antagōnistés entered English via French or late Latin. => agony
antagonist (n.)
1590s, from French antagoniste (16c.) or directly from Late Latin antagonista, from Greek antagonistes "competitor, opponent, rival," agent noun from antagonizesthai "to struggle against, oppose, be a rival," from anti- "against" (see anti-) + agonizesthai "to contend for a prize," from agon "contest" (see agony). Originally in battle or sport, extended 1620s to any sphere of human activity.
实用例句
1. Spassky had never previously lost to his antagonist.
斯帕斯基以往从未输给过他的对手。
来自柯林斯例句
2. His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.
在辩论中他的对手比他反应快.
来自《简明英汉词典》
3. The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.
