battle
Noun:
- A hostile encounter or engagement between opposing military forces: A "battle" is a specific, often prolonged, fight within a larger war.
- A sustained fight, contest, or struggle between opposing forces or individuals: "Battle" can refer to any intense, extended conflict or competition, not necessarily physical or military.
- An energetic effort to overcome a difficulty or achieve something: "Battle" can describe a difficult, ongoing personal effort against an obstacle.
Verb:
- To fight or struggle tenaciously against someone or something: To "battle" means to engage in a determined fight or contest, either literally or figuratively.
Noun:
- The Battle of Hastings in 1066 changed the course of English history.
- The two companies are locked in a legal battle over the patent.
- Her long battle with illness was an inspiration to everyone.
Verb:
- Firefighters battled the blaze for hours before bringing it under control.
- She had to battle her way through the dense crowd to reach the exit.
- The senator vowed to battle against the proposed legislation.
"to do battle": to engage in a fight or conflict.
- The knights prepared to do battle on the field.
"a battle of wits": a conflict or competition using intelligence and cleverness rather than physical force.
- The negotiation turned into a fascinating battle of wits.
"to battle it out": to fight or compete until a clear winner is determined.
- The two finalists will battle it out for the championship title.
Battleground (n): the site or location of a battle; a place of conflict.
- The courtroom became the battleground for their divorce.
Battlefield (n): a piece of ground where a battle is or was fought.
- Historians studied the artifacts found on the ancient battlefield.
Battalion (n): a large body of troops ready for battle, especially an infantry unit forming part of a brigade. (Note: This is a related military term, not a direct variant of "battle").
- Noun: Conflict, fight, engagement, combat, struggle, clash, contest.
- Verb: Fight, combat, struggle, contend, war (against).
Battle on: to continue fighting or struggling despite difficulties.
- Though exhausted, the team vowed to battle on until the end of the season.
Battle against/with: to fight or struggle in opposition to something.
- He has been battling with depression for years.
Half the battle: a significant part of the effort needed to achieve something.
- Finding a good location is half the battle when opening a new store.
Lose the battle but win the war: to fail in a small or specific conflict but ultimately succeed in the larger goal.
- We may have lost this court case, but we haven't lost the war for public opinion.
- an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals)
- the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph--Thomas Paine
- police tried to control the battle between the pro- and anti-abortion mobs
- an energetic attempt to achieve something
- getting through the crowd was a real struggle
- he fought a battle for recognition
- a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
- Grant won a decisive victory in the battle of Chickamauga
- he lost his romantic ideas about war when he got into a real engagement
- battle or contend against in or as if in a battle
- The Kurds are combating Iraqi troops in Northern Iraq
- We must combat the prejudices against other races
- they battled over the budget