battle

¹bat·tle

noun, often attributive \ˈba-t^əl\

Definition of BATTLE

1

archaic : battalion

2

: a combat between two persons

3

: a general encounter between armies, ships of war, or aircraft

4

: an extended contest, struggle, or controversy <a battle of wits>

Examples of BATTLE

1. That two-day conflict has become one of the most famous battles in history.
2. The battle continued late into the night.
3. Thousands of soldiers were willing to go into battle to fight the enemy.
4. A police officer was injured in a gun battle that took place last night.
5. The company was involved in a legal battle with one of its employees.
6. the never-ending battle between good and evil

Origin of BATTLE

Middle English batel, from Anglo-French bataille battle, battalion, from Late Latin battalia combat, alteration of battualia fencing exercises, from Latin battuere to beat

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to BATTLE

Synonyms: struggle, fight, fray, scrabble, throes

Related Words: effort, exertion, labor, pains, trouble, work; drudgery, grind, sweat, toil, travail; combat, conflict, contest, strife, tussle, war, warfare; attempt, endeavor, essay, try

Near Antonyms: truce

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Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

Rhymes with BATTLE

brattle, cattle, chattel, prattle, rattle, tattle