Strive

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Middle English: shortening of Old French estriver ; related to estrif ‘strife’.

wiktionary

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From Middle English striven(“to strive”), from Old French estriver(“to compete, quarrel”), from Frankish *strīban(“to exert, make an effort”) from Proto-Germanic *strībaną.

strive (plural strives)

etymonline

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strive (v.)

c. 1200, "quarrel, contend," from Old French estriver "to quarrel, dispute, resist, struggle, put up a fight, compete," from estrif, estrit "quarrel" (see strife). It became a strong verb (past tense strove) by rhyming association with drive, dive, etc. Meaning "try hard" is from early 14c. Related: Striving.