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give battle

 - 2 dictionary results

bat⋅tle

1  [bat-l] noun, verb, -tled, -tling.
Use give battle in a Sentence
–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 bate 2 ) + -ālia, neut. pl. of -ālis -al 2

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
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To give battle
Word Origin & History

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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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