battle of Bunker Hill
Proper noun A significant early military engagement in the American Revolutionary War, fought on June 17, 1775. Although named for the nearby Bunker Hill, the primary combat occurred on Breed's Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The battle is noted for demonstrating that relatively inexperienced colonial forces could stand against the professional British army, despite the British ultimately capturing the position.
The term is used to refer specifically to this historical event. It is a proper noun and is typically capitalized.
Examples * The Battle of Bunker Hill was a costly victory for the British. * Studying the Battle of Bunker Hill helps understand the early phase of the American Revolution. * "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" is a famous order attributed to the Battle of Bunker Hill.
- The phrase "a Bunker Hill" is sometimes used metaphorically to describe a conflict that is symbolically important or costly, even if not a tactical victory.
- The legal case became a Bunker Hill for the reform movement, galvanizing support despite the initial loss.
- Bunker Hill: A common shortened reference to the battle.
- The monument commemorates Bunker Hill.
- The Battle of Breed's Hill: A more technically accurate name for the engagement, though less commonly used.
- Engagement at Breed's Hill (technical)
- The first major battle of the American Revolution (descriptive)
- "A Bunker Hill moment": A situation requiring steadfast resolve in the face of a powerful opponent, often with a focus on moral or symbolic victory over immediate tactical success.
- The small company's lawsuit against the giant corporation was its Bunker Hill moment.
- the first important battle of the American War of Independence (1775) which was fought at Breed's Hill; the British defeated the colonial forces