vie

/vaɪ/

/vaɪ/

Other forms: vied; vying; vies

To vie for something means to compete for it. Two teams may vie for the gold medal, but one will have to go home with silver.

Vie may be spelled the same as the French word, vie, but they are pronounced differently, vī and vē respectively, and are not related in meaning or history. English vie comes from the Latin verb meaning "to invite" as in to invite a challenge. Be careful of the spelling which includes an ie to y shift. “He intends to vie for the top prize,” but “He is vying for the top prize.”

Definitions of vie

1. verb

   compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
   synonyms: compete, contend

   types:

   go for, try for

   make an attempt at achieving something

   play

   participate in games or sport

   run off

   decide (a contest or competition) by a runoff

   race, run

   compete in a race

   rival

   be the rival of, be in competition with

   emulate

   compete with successfully; approach or reach equality with

   equal, match, rival, touch

   be equal to in quality or ability

   line up

   take one's position before a kick-off

   curl

   play the Scottish game of curling

   snooker

   leave one's opponent unable to take a direct shot

   revoke

   fail to follow suit when able and required to do so

   develop

   move into a strategically more advantageous position

   develop

   move one's pieces into strategically more advantageous positions

   die

   to be on base at the end of an inning, of a player

   misplay

   play wrong or in an unskillful manner

   start

   play in the starting lineup

   fumble

   drop or juggle or fail to play cleanly a grounder

   volley

   make a volley

   unblock

   play the cards of (a suit) so that the last trick on which a hand can follow suit will be taken by a higher card in the hand of a partner who has the remaining cards of a combined holding

   replay

   play again

   cricket

   play cricket

   backstop

   act as a backstop

   fullback

   play the fullback

   quarterback

   play the quarterback

   cradle

   control a puck or ball by moving a stick, as in hockey or lacrosse

   exit

   lose the lead

   play out

   play to a finish

   field

   play as a fielder

   catch

   be the catcher

   bully off, face off

   start a game by a face-off

   tee off

   strike a ball from the teeing ground at the start of a hole

   ace

   play (a hole) in one stroke

   show

   finish third or better in a horse or dog race

   place

   finish second or better in a horse or dog race

   boat-race

   participate in a boat race

   horse-race

   compete in a horse race

   campaign, run

   run, stand, or compete for an office or a position

   complete, nail

   complete a pass

   outrival, outvie

   be more of a rival than

   gamble

   play games for money

   walk

   give a base on balls to

   bowl

   engage in the sport of bowling

   golf

   play golf

   bandy

   toss or strike a ball back and forth

   foul

   commit a foul; break the rules

   put out

   retire

   croquet

   play a game in which players hit a wooden ball through a series of hoops

   putt

   hit a putt

   speed skate

   race on skates

   seesaw, teeter-totter, teetertotter

   ride on a plank

   bid, call

   make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands