Definition

Proper noun A major battle during the First World War that took place from April 22 to May 25, 1915, near Ypres, Belgium. It is historically significant as the first large-scale use of poison gas (chlorine) on the Western Front by the German army, which led to significant Allied casualties and a contraction of the Allied defensive salient.

Usage

This term is used specifically to refer to this historical military engagement. It is always capitalized as it is a proper noun naming a specific event. * The Second Battle of Ypres marked a grim new chapter in modern warfare. * Many Canadian soldiers fought with great distinction during the Second Battle of Ypres.

Advanced Usage

• The battle is often cited in military history for the first successful use of a weapon of mass destruction in modern warfare.
• It is also noted for the determined defense by outnumbered Allied forces, particularly the 1st Canadian Division, following the first gas attack.

Variants and Related Words

• Battle of Ypres: A more general term that can refer to any of the several major battles fought around Ypres (e.g., First, Second, Third Battle of Ypres).
• Ypres, 1915: A shorthand reference sometimes used in historical texts.
• Gas attack at Ypres: A phrase focusing on the battle's most infamous tactical feature.

Synonyms

• Second Ypres (common abbreviated form)
• Battle of Gravenstafel (refers to the initial phase of the battle, named after a local ridge)

Related Phrases

• "The first use of poison gas": A phrase frequently associated with descriptions of this battle.
• "Holding the line at Ypres": An idiomatic expression evoking the defensive struggle characteristic of this and other battles in the Ypres salient.

Noun

1. battle in World War I (1915); Germans wanted to try chlorine (a toxic yellow gas) as a weapon and succeeded in taking considerable territory from the Allied salient