Battle - Dictionary Definition and Overview

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" [syn: conflict, fight, 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, struggle] (verb)

1: battle or contend against in or as if in a battle; "The Kurds are combating Iraqi troops in Nothern Iraq"; "We must combat the prejudices against other races"; "they battled over the budget" [syn: combat]

Based on WordNet 2.0

Drawn \Drawn\, p. p. & a. See Draw, v. t. & i.

Drawn butter, butter melter and prepared to be used as a sort of gravy.

Drawn fowl, an eviscerated fowl.

Drawn game or battle, one in which neither party wins; one equally contested.

Drawn fox, one driven from cover. --Shak.

Drawn work, ornamental work made by drawing out threads from fine cloth, and uniting the cross threads, to form a pattern.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Battle : \Bat"tle\, a. Fertile. See Battel, a. [Obs.]

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Battle : \Bat"tle\, n. [OE. bataille, bataile, F. bataille battle, OF., battle, battalion, fr. L. battalia, battualia, the fighting and fencing exercises of soldiers and gladiators, fr. batuere to strike, beat. Cf. Battalia, 1st Battel, and see Batter, v. t. ] 1. A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the divisions of an army are or may be engaged; an engagement; a combat.

2. A struggle; a contest; as, the battle of life.

The whole intellectual battle that had at its center the best poem of the best poet of that day. --H. Morley.

3. A division of an army; a battalion. [Obs.]

The king divided his army into three battles. --Bacon.

The cavalry, by way of distinction, was called the battle, and on it alone depended the fate of every action. --Robertson.

4. The main body, as distinct from the van and rear; battalia. [Obs.] --Hayward.

Note: Battle is used adjectively or as the first part of a self-explaining compound; as, battle brand, a ``brand'' or sword used in battle; battle cry; battlefield; battle ground; battlearray; battle song.

Battle piece, a painting, or a musical composition, representing a battle.

Battle royal. (a) A fight between several gamecocks, where the one that stands longest is the victor. --Grose. (b) A contest with fists or cudgels in which more than two are engaged; a m[^e]l['e]e. --Thackeray.

Drawn battle, one in which neither party gains the victory. To give battle, to attack an enemy.

To join battle, to meet the attack; to engage in battle.

Pitched battle, one in which the armies are previously drawn up in form, with a regular disposition of the forces.

Wager of battle. See under Wager, n.

Syn: Conflict; encounter; contest; action.

Usage: Battle, Combat, Fight, Engagement. These words agree in denoting a close encounter between contending parties. Fight is a word of less dignity than the others. Except in poetry, it is more naturally applied to the encounter of a few individuals, and more commonly an accidental one; as, a street fight. A combat is a close encounter, whether between few or many, and is usually premeditated. A battle is commonly more general and prolonged. An engagement supposes large numbers on each side, engaged or intermingled in the conflict.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Battle : \Bat"tle\ (b[a^]t"t'l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Battled (-tl'd); p. pr. & vb. n. Battling.] [F. batailler, fr. bataille. See Battle, n.] To join in battle; to contend in fight; as, to battle over theories.

To meet in arms, and battle in the plain. --Prior.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Battle : \Bat"tle\, v. t. To assail in battle; to fight.

Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Example Usage of Battle

chrishobow: Ahh.. As t wise man once said, never fight a Battle unless u will win it.. Heng ah!!
TrevorOreius: Few updates with the Battle Suits: The Non-mem Armor needs a bit details, The Ac Armor is about to be done but...
glenneywilson: Close mates set for A-League Battle: On Boxing Day, Gold Coast United's Charlie Miller will try to steal a goal.. http://bit.ly/7xtbBx
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