Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Encounter

Encounter , transitive verb

[Old French encontrer; pref. en- (Latin in) + contre against, Latin contra. See Counter, adv.]

To come against face to face; to meet; to confront, either by chance, suddenly, or deliberately; especially, to meet in opposition or with hostile intent; to engage in conflict with; to oppose; to struggle with; as, to encounter a friend in traveling; two armies encounter each other; to encounter obstacles or difficulties, to encounter strong evidence of a truth.
Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. — Acts xvii. 18
I am most fortunate thus accidentally to encounter you. — Shakespeare

Encounter , intransitive verb

To meet face to face; to have a meeting; to meet, esp. as enemies; to engage in combat; to fight; as, three armies encountered at Waterloo.
I will encounter with Andronicus. — Shakespeare
Perception and judgment, employed in the investigation of all truth, have in the first place to encounter with particulars. — Tatham

Encounter , noun

[Old French encontre, from encontrer. See Encounter, transitive verb]

1.
A meeting face to face; a running against; a sudden or incidental meeting; an interview.
To shun the encounter of the vulgar crowd. — Pope
2.
A meeting, with hostile purpose; hence, a combat; a battle; as, a bloody encounter.
As one for... fierce encounters fit — Spenser
To join their dark encounter in mid-air — Milton