• IPA: /ˈstɹaɪv/

From Middle English striven, from Old French estriver, from Frankish *strīban from Proto-Germanic *strībaną, or from Frankish *stribēn from Proto-Germanic *stribāną.

strive (strives, present participle striving; simple past strove, past participle striven)

1. To try to achieve a result; to make strenuous effort; to try earnestly and persistently.

   He strove to excel.

   We strive for the truth.

2. To struggle in opposition; to be in contention or dispute; to contend; to contest.

   to strive against fate

   • 1668, John Denham, “On the Earl of Strafford’s Tryal and Death”, in Poems and Translations, with The Sophy, 4th edition, London: […] [John Macock] for H[enry] Herringman […], →OCLC ↗:

     Now private pity strove with public hate, / Reason with rage, and eloquence with fate.

   • 1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods‎, London: William Heineman, →OCLC ↗, page 7 ↗:

     We have met this new thing that has come upon the earth and have striven against its armies, but could not drive them forth; and the new thing is beautiful but very angry, and is creeping towards the gods.

3. To vie; to compete as a rival.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC ↗:

     [Not] that sweet grove
     Of Daphne, by Orontes and the inspired
     Castalian spring, might with this paradise
     Of Eden strive.

• put/keep/&c. one's nose to the grindstone, put one's back into, give 110%, break one's back, work hard, apply oneself, put one's shoulder to the wheel

• strife

• French: s'efforcer, s'appliquer
• German: streben, bemühen, anstrengen, ringen um, sich einsetzen für
• Italian: sforzarsi, cercare, ambire, arrabattarsi, ingegnarsi, adoperarsi, impegnarsi, dare il massimo
• Portuguese: esforçar-se, batalhar, aplicar-se
• Russian: стреми́ться
• Spanish: esforzarse, afanarse, aplicarse, romperse el lomo, deslomarse, luchar, echarle ganas

• French: (against) combattre
• German: (against) ringen mit, sich einsetzen gegen
• Italian: lottare, battersi
• Russian: бороться

strive (plural strives)

1. (obsolete) Alternative form of strife