Challenged

a euphemism for disabled (usually preceded by an adverb):
physically challenged.
deficient or lacking (usually preceded by an adverb or noun):
ethically challenged.
a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc.
something that by its nature or character serves as a call to battle, contest, special effort, etc.:
Space exploration offers a challenge to humankind.
a call to fight, as a battle, a duel, etc.
a demand to explain, justify, etc.:
a challenge to the treasurer to itemize expenditures.
difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it.
Military. the demand of a sentry for identification or a countersign.
Law. a formal objection to the qualifications of a particular juror, to his or her serving, or to the legality of an entire jury.
Compare peremptory challenge.
the assertion that a vote is invalid or that a voter is not legally qualified.
Biology. the process of inducing or assessing physiological or immunological activity by exposing an organism to a specific substance.
Hunting. the crying of a hound on finding a scent.
to summon to a contest of skill, strength, etc.
to take exception to; call in question:
to challenge the wisdom of a procedure.
to demand as something due or rightful.
Military. to halt and demand identification or countersign from.
Law. to take formal exception to (a juror or jury).
to have a claim to; invite; arouse; stimulate:
a matter which challenges attention.
to assert that (a vote) is invalid.
to assert that (a voter) is not qualified to vote.
to expose an organism to a specific substance in order to assess its physiological or immunological activity.
Archaic. to lay claim to.
to make or issue a challenge.
Hunting. (of hounds) to cry or give tongue on picking up the scent.
donated or given by a private, corporate, or government benefactor on condition that the recipient raise an additional specified amount from the public:
a challenge grant.
adjective
(in combination) disabled or disadvantaged in some way: physically challenged performers
verb (mainly transitive)
to invite or summon (someone to do something, esp to take part in a contest)
(also intransitive) to call (something) into question; dispute
to make demands on; stimulate: the job challenges his ingenuity
to order (a person) to halt and be identified or to give a password
(law) to make formal objection to (a juror or jury)
to lay claim to (attention, etc)
(intransitive) (hunting) (of a hound) to cry out on first encountering the scent of a quarry
to inject (an experimental animal immunized with a test substance) with disease microorganisms to test for immunity to the disease
noun
a call to engage in a fight, argument, or contest
a questioning of a statement or fact; a demand for justification or explanation
a demanding or stimulating situation, career, object, etc
a demand by a sentry, watchman, etc, for identification or a password
(US) an assertion that a person is not entitled to vote or that a vote is invalid
(law) a formal objection to a person selected to serve on a jury (challenge to the polls) or to the whole body of jurors (challenge to the array)
adj.

as a euphemism for “disabled,” 1985, past participle adjective from challenge (v.).
n.

early 14c., “something one can be accused of, a fault, blemish;” mid-14c., “false accusation, malicious charge; accusation of wrong-doing,” also “act of laying claim” (to something), from Anglo-French chalenge, Old French chalonge “calumny, slander; demand, opposition,” in legal use, “accusation, claim, dispute,” from Anglo-French chalengier, Old French chalongier “to accuse, to dispute” (see challenge (v.)). Accusatory connotations died out 17c. Meanings “an objection” in law, etc.; “a calling to fight” are from mid-15c. Meaning “difficult task” is from 1954.
v.

c.1200, “to rebuke,” from Old French chalongier “complain, protest; haggle, quibble,” from Vulgar Latin calumniare “to accuse falsely,” from Latin calumniari “to accuse falsely, misrepresent, slander,” from calumnia “trickery” (see calumny).

From late 13c. as “to object to, take exception to;” c.1300 as “to accuse,” especially “to accuse falsely,” also “to call to account;” late 14c. as “to call to fight.” Also used in Middle English with sense “claim, take to oneself.” Related: Challenged; challenging.