battle (battles plural & 3rd person present) (battling present participle) (battled past tense & past participle )
1 n-var A battle is a violent fight between groups of people, especially one between military forces during a war.
...the victory of King William III at the Battle of the Boyne., ...after a gun battle between police and drug traffickers., ...men who die in battle.
2 n-count A battle is a conflict in which different people or groups compete in order to achieve success or control.
usu with supp, oft N prep
(=struggle)
...a renewed political battle over Britain's attitude to Europe., ...the eternal battle between good and evil in the world., ...a macho battle for supremacy...
3 n-count You can use battle to refer to someone's efforts to achieve something in spite of very difficult circumstances.
usu sing, oft N against n
(=fight)
...the battle against crime..., She has fought a constant battle with her weight..., Greg lost his brave battle against cancer two years ago.
4 v-recip To battlewith an opposing group means to take part in a fight or contest against them. In American English, you can also say that one group or person is battling another.
Thousands of people battled with police and several were reportedly wounded... V with/against n
The sides must battle again for a quarter-final place on December 16... pl-n V
They're also battling the government to win compensation. V n, Also pl-n V to-inf
5 verb To battle means to try hard to do something in spite of very difficult circumstances. In British English, you battleagainst something or with something. In American English, you battle something.
(=fight)
Doctors battled throughout the night to save her life. V to-inf
...a lone yachtsman returning from his months of battling with the elements... V with/against/through n
In Wyoming, firefighters are still battling the two blazes. V n
battler (battlers plural) n-count
If anyone can do it, he can. He's a battler and has a strong character.
6
→
pitched battle
→
running battle
7 If one person or group does battlewith another, they take part in a battle or contest against them. You can also say that two people or groups do battle.
do battle phrase V inflects, PHR with/against n, pl-n PHR
...the notorious Montonero guerrilla group who did battle with the army during the dirty war...
8 If you say that something is half the battle, you mean that it is the most important step towards achieving something.
half the battle phrase usu v-link PHR
Choosing the right type of paint for the job is half the battle.
9 If you are fighting a losing battle, you are trying to achieve something but are not going to be successful.
fight a losing battle phrase V inflects, oft PHR with/against n, PHR to-inf
The crew fought a losing battle to try to restart the engines., ...on a day when the sun is fighting a losing battle against the lowering clouds.
10 If one group or person battles it outwith another, they take part in a fight or contest against each other until one of them wins or a definite result is reached. You can also say that two groups or two people battle it out.
battle it out phrase V inflects, PHR with n, pl-n PHR
In the Cup Final, Leeds battled it out with the old enemy, Manchester United...
11 If you say that someone haslost the battle, butwon the war, you mean that although they have been defeated in a small conflict they have won a larger, more important one of which it was a part. If you say that someone haswon the battlebutlost the war, you mean that they have won the small conflict but lost the larger one.
lose/win the battle, win/lose the war phrase Vs and battle inflect The strikers may have won the battle, but they lost the war.
battle-axe (battle-axes plural )
The spellings battleaxe, and in American English battle-ax are also used.
1 n-count If you call a middle-aged or older woman a battle-axe, you mean she is very difficult and unpleasant because of her fierce and determined attitude.
INFORMAL, disapproval
(=dragon)
2 n-count A battle-axe is a large axe that was used as a weapon.
battle cruiser (battle cruisers plural ), battlecruiser A battle cruiser is a large fast warship that is lighter than a battleship and moves more easily. n-count
battle cry (battle cries plural ), battle-cry
1 n-count A battle cry is a phrase that is used to encourage people to support a particular cause or campaign.
(=rallying cry)
Their battle-cry will be: `Sign this petition before they sign away your country.'
2 n-count A battle cry is a shout that soldiers give as they go into battle.
pitched battle (pitched battles plural )A pitched battle is a very fierce and violent fight involving a large number of people. n-count
Pitched battles were fought with the police.
running battle (running battles plural )When two groups of people fight a running battle, they keep attacking each other in various parts of a place. n-count
They fought running battles in the narrow streets with police.
