encounter in WordNet English dictionary

1. a minor short-term fight
   brush  clash  encounter  skirmish 
   
2. a casual meeting with a person or thing
   encounter  coming upon 
   
3. a hostile disagreement face-to-face
   confrontation  encounter  showdown  face-off 
   
4. a casual or unexpected convergence
   "he still remembers their meeting in Paris"; "there was a brief encounter in the hallway"
   meeting  encounter 
   

1. come upon, as if by accident; meet with
   "We find this idea in Plato"; "I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here"; "She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day"
   find  happen  chance  bump  encounter 
   
2. come together
   "I'll probably see you at the meeting"; "How nice to see you again!"
   meet  run into  encounter  run across  come across  see 
   
3. contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
   "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"
   meet  encounter  play  take on 
   
4. be beset by
   "The project ran into numerous financial difficulties"
   run into  encounter 
   
5. experience as a reaction
   "My proposal met with much opposition"
   meet  encounter  receive