conquest
noun
Conquest — success won through the mastery of something genuinely difficult
Definition
Success in mastering something difficult; "the conquest of space"
In depth
Conquest, in this broader sense, names success in mastering something difficult, extending beyond its more familiar military meaning of territorial seizure to describe any significant achievement won through sustained effort against genuine resistance or challenge. The phrase 'the conquest of space' exemplifies this extended sense, framing scientific achievement in the same triumphant terms once reserved for military victory.
Origin
The word descends from Old French conquest, an acquisition, from conquerre, to conquer, ultimately from Latin conquirere, to seek out or procure. Its extension beyond literal military victory to describe any difficult mastery reflects a long literary tradition of framing intellectual and scientific achievement in the heroic language once reserved exclusively for warfare and territorial expansion.
Usage examples
"The conquest of space captured public imagination in a way few scientific achievements have matched before or since."
"Her conquest of the difficult repertoire took years of disciplined practice most performers never attempt."
"The conquest of the disease, after decades of dedicated research, finally arrived almost quietly, with little of the fanfare it deserved."
How to use it
Conquest in this extended, non-military sense suits writing about scientific, artistic, or personal achievement won against genuine difficulty, lending such achievements a sense of hard-fought, even epic significance.
Related concepts
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