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Battle

13 dictionary results for: battle

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

bat·tle1

[bat-l] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -tled, -tling.

–noun

1.	a hostile encounter or engagement between opposing military forces: the battle of Waterloo.

2.	participation in such hostile encounters or engagements: wounds received in battle.

3.	a fight between two persons or animals: ordering a trial by battle to settle the dispute.

4.	any conflict or struggle: a battle for control of the Senate.

5.	Archaic. a battalion.

–verb (used without object)

6.	to engage in battle: ready to battle with the enemy.

7.	to work very hard or struggle; strive: to battle for freedom.

–verb (used with object)

8.	to fight (a person, army, cause, etc.): We battled strong winds and heavy rains in our small boat.

9.	to force or accomplish by fighting, struggling, etc.: He battled his way to the top of his profession.

—Idiom

10.	give or do battle, to enter into conflict; fight: He was ready to do battle for his beliefs.

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME bataile < OF < VL *battālia for LL battuālia (neut. pl.) gladiatorial exercises, equiv. to battu(ere) to strike (see bate²) + -ālia, neut. pl. of -ālis -al²

]

—Related forms

battler, noun

—Synonyms 1. contest, conflict, war. Battle, action, skirmish mean a conflict between organized armed forces. A battle is a prolonged and general conflict pursued to a definite decision: the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. A skirmish is a slight engagement, often on the periphery of an area of battle: several minor skirmishes. An action can be a battle or a skirmish or can refer to actual fighting or combat: a major military action; action along the border; He saw action in the campaign. 2. warfare, combat, fighting. 10. conflict. 7. contest.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

bat·tle2

[bat-l] Pronunciation Key

–verb (used with object), -tled, -tling. Archaic.

to furnish (a building or wall) with battlements; crenelate.

[Origin: 1300–50; ME batailen < MF bataillier to provide with batailles. See battlement

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

bat·tle (bāt'l) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. An encounter between opposing forces: an important battle in the Pacific campaign.
2. Armed fighting; combat: wounded in battle.
3. A protracted controversy or struggle: won the battle of the budget.
4. An intense competition: a battle of wits.
A match between two combatants: trial by battle.
1. A protracted controversy or struggle: won the battle of the budget.
2. An intense competition: a battle of wits.

v.   bat·tled, bat·tling, bat·tles

v.   intr.
To engage in or as if in battle.

v.   tr.
To fight against: battled the enemy; battled cancer.

[Middle English batel, from Old French bataille, from Vulgar Latin *battālia, from Late Latin battuālia, fighting and fencing exercises, from Latin battuere, to beat.]

bat'tler n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Bat·tle (bāt'l) Pronunciation Key
A town of southeast England northwest of Hastings, near the site of the Battle of Hastings (1066). William the Conqueror built Battle Abbey to commemorate his victory here. Population: 4,987.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
battle

1297, from O.Fr. bataille, from L.L. battualia "exercise of soldiers and gladiators in fighting and fencing," from L. battuere "beat" (see batter (v.)). Phrase battle royal "fight involving several combatants" is from 1672.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

battle
noun
1.	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"
2.	an energetic attempt to achieve something; "getting through the crowd was a real struggle"; "he fought a battle for recognition" [syn: struggle]
3.	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" [syn: conflict]
verb
1.	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"

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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

battle

see half the battle; losing battle; pitched battle.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Battle Creek, MI (city, FIPS 5920) Location: 42.29885 N, 85.22902 W
Population (1990): 53540 (23252 housing units)
Area: 110.9 sq km (land), 2.2 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 49015, 49017

Battle Creek, IA (city, FIPS 4870) Location: 42.31685 N, 95.59930 W
Population (1990): 818 (343 housing units)
Area: 1.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 51006

Battle Creek, NE (city, FIPS 3250) Location: 41.99904 N, 97.59867 W
Population (1990): 997 (389 housing units)
Area: 1.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 68715

Battle Ground, IN (town, FIPS 3718) Location: 40.50999 N, 86.83848 W
Population (1990): 806 (301 housing units)
Area: 0.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 47920

Battle Ground, WA (city, FIPS 4475) Location: 45.78203 N, 122.54106 W
Population (1990): 3758 (1376 housing units)
Area: 6.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 98604

Battle Lake, MN (city, FIPS 3970) Location: 46.28883 N, 95.71512 W
Population (1990): 698 (406 housing units)
Area: 2.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 56515

Battle Mountain, NV (CDP, FIPS 4900) Location: 40.64152 N, 116.93772 W
Population (1990): 3542 (1431 housing units)
Area: 4.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 89820

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Battle

Bat"tail*ant\, a. [F. bataillant, p. pr. See Battle, v. i. ] [Obs.] Prepared for battle; combatant; warlike. --Spenser. -- n. A combatant. --Shelton.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Battle

Bat"tail*ous\, a. [OF. bataillos, fr. bataille. See Battle, n.] Arrayed for battle; fit or eager for battle; warlike. [Obs.] "In battailous aspect." --Milton.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Battle

Bat*tal"ia\, n. [LL. battalia battle, a body of troops. See Battle, n.]

1. Order of battle; disposition or arrangement of troops (brigades, regiments, battalions, etc.), or of a naval force, for action.

A drawing up the armies in battalia. --Jer. Taylor.

2. An army in battle array; also, the main battalia or body. [Obs.] --Shak.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Battle

Bat"tel\, n. [Obs. form. of Battle.] (Old Eng. Law) A single combat; as, trial by battel. See Wager of battel, under Wager.

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