Definition

Proper noun A major battle of World War I, fought in 1916. It was one of the longest and bloodiest engagements of the war, where a German offensive against French forces was ultimately halted.

Usage

"Verdun" is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to this historical battle and its location. It is often cited as a symbol of the war's attrition and immense human cost. * The Battle of Verdun became a defining moment for the French army. * Historians study the tactics used at Verdun.

Advanced Usage

• "the Verdun of [something]": Used metaphorically to describe any prolonged, bloody, and stalemated conflict or struggle.
  • The prolonged legal case became the Verdun of the corporate world, exhausting both sides.

Variants and Related Words

• Verdun-like (adjective): Resembling the characteristics of the Battle of Verdun, particularly in terms of being a protracted and costly stalemate.
  • The conflict settled into a Verdun-like stalemate.

Synonyms

• Attrition (in a military context): A prolonged war or period of conflict during which each side seeks to gradually wear down the other by inflicting continuous losses.
• Siege (though Verdun was not a classic siege, it shared characteristics of a protracted assault on fortified positions).

Related Phrases

• "They shall not pass" ("Ils ne passeront pas"): The famous order and rallying cry associated with the French defense at Verdun.
  • The general's speech echoed the defiant spirit of "They shall not pass."

Noun

1. a battle in World War I (1916); in some of the bloodiest fighting in World War I the German offensive was stopped