Baretti: A dictionary of the English and Italian languages
Conténd-ere, v. a. (V. tendere,)
1. to contest, dispute, wrangle; 2. to endeavour, try; 3. to forbid, prohibit; 4. to attend to, be occupied with; v. r. to oppose, resist; s. m. Conténd-itóre, f.Conténd-itríce; adj. Conténd-énte.
Florio: a worlde of wordes, or most copious, dictionarie in Italian and English
contendere: to contend, to striue, to debate, to wrangle. Also to refuse, to deny, to gainesay.