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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary bat·tle \\ˈba-t əl\\ noun USAGE often attributive
ETYMOLOGY Middle English batel, from Anglo-French bataille battle, battalion, from Late Latin battalia combat, alteration of battualia fencing exercises, from Latin battuere to beat
DATE 13th century
1. archaic : battalion 2. a combat between two persons3. a general encounter between armies, ships of war, or aircraft4. an extended contest, struggle, or controversy a battle of witsverb ( bat·tled ; bat·tling \\ˈbat-liŋ, ˈba-t əl-iŋ\\) DATE 14th century
intransitive verb1. to engage in battle : fight 2. to contend with full strength, vigor, skill, or resources : struggle transitive verb1. to fight or struggle against2. to force (as one's way) by battling• bat·tler \\-lər, ˈba-t əl-ər\\ nountransitive verb ( bat·tled ; bat·tling) ETYMOLOGY Middle English batailen, from Anglo-French bataillier to fortify with battlements, from Old French batailles battlemented tower, probably from plural of bataille battle
DATE 14th century
archaic : to fortify with battlements
battle c.1300, from O.Fr
http://O.Fr . bataille "battle, single combat," also "inner turmoil, harsh circumstances; army, body of soldiers," from L.L. battualia "exercise of soldiers and gladiators in fighting and fencing," from L.battuere "to beat, to strike" (see batter ( v.)). Phrase battle royal "fight involving several combatants" is from 1670s.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishbattle
noun 1 between armies ADJ. bloody, fierce | pitched The two armies fought a pitched battle on the plain. | decisive | great, important, major | famous, historic | land, naval, sea VERB + BATTLE fight (in) | win | lose | do, give, go into, join Charles V refused to give battle. The two armies joined battle. | send sb into Many young men were sent into battle without proper training. BATTLE + VERB begin, take place | rage | continue | be over, end PREP. at a/the ~ Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. | in (a/the) ~ He died in battle. 2 violent fight between two groups ADJ. fierce | pitched | running | gun VERB + BATTLE fight PREP. ~ against Police fought a pitched battle against demonstrators. | ~ between a gun battle between police and drug smugglers | ~ with Scores of people have been hurt in running battles with police. 3 struggle ADJ. bitter, fierce | real There's now a real battle at the top of the First Division. | constant, continuing, long, long-running, ongoing, prolonged | losing, uphill We seem to be fighting a losing battle. | successful | court, legal VERB + BATTLE be engaged in, do, fight Are you prepared to do battle with your insurance company over the claim? | face | win | lose BATTLE + VERB begin | be over, end PREP. ~ against his long battle against cancer | ~ between a fierce battle between developers and the local community | ~ for the battle for human rights | ~ over The government now faces a new battle over tax increases. | ~ with They are engaged in a long-running legal battle with their neighbours. PHRASES a battle of ideas/words, a battle of wills/wits, a battle royal (= a major battle in which all available forces take part), fight your own battles My parents believed in leaving me to fight my own battles.
Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishbattle
verb ADV. hard | bravely The child battled bravely for her life. | in vain Doctors battled in vain to save his life. | constantly | away We'll keep battling away and hope that the goals start to come. PREP. against Rescuers battled against torrential rain and high winds. | for battling for control of the party | over Residents are battling over plans for a new supermarket. | through We battled through the snowstorm. | with Riot police battled with 4,000 students. battling with leukaemia PHRASES battle it out Competitors battled it out against the clock. | battle your way He battled his way to the bar. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ battlebat·tle / 5bAtl / noun1. [C, U] a fight between armies, ships or planes, especially during a war; a violent fight between groups of people 战役；战斗；搏斗: the battle of Waterloo 滑铁卢战役 to be killed in battle 阵亡 a gun battle 枪战 ⇨ see also pitched battle 2. [C] ~ (with sb) (for sth) a competition, an argument or a struggle between people or groups of people trying to win power or control 较量；争论；斗争: a legal battle for compensation 要求赔偿的法律斗争 a battle with an insurance company 同一家保险公司的争执 a battle of wits (= when each side uses their ability to think quickly to try to win) 智斗 a battle of wills (= when each side is very determined to win) 意志的较量 ⇨ note at campaign 3. [C, usually sing.] ~ (against / for sth) a determined effort that sb makes to solve a difficult problem or succeed in a difficult situation 奋斗；斗争: her long battle against cancer 她同癌症的长期斗争 to fight an uphill battle against prejudice 同偏见作艰苦斗争 a battle for survival 一场生死斗 IDIOMS ▪ the battle lines are 'drawn used to say that people or groups have shown which side they intend to support in an argument or contest that is going to begin 战线已经划清(指人或群体已表明打算支持争论或比赛哪一方)▪ do 'battle (with sb) (over sth) to fight or argue with sb (同某人就某事)进行斗争或辩论▪ half the 'battle the most important or difficult part of achieving sth (完成某事的)关键；最艰难的阶段⇨ more at fight v., join v. verb ~ (with / against sb / sth) (for sth) to try very hard to achieve sth difficult or to deal with sth unpleasant or dangerous 搏斗；奋斗；斗争: ▪ [V] She's still battling with a knee injury. 她还在同膝部的伤痛作斗争。 Both teams battled hard. 两队拚得很厉害。 The ten leaders are battling for control of the government. 两位领导人在为控制政府而斗争。 I had to battle hard just to stay afloat. 我得用力挣扎才能勉强浮住。 ▪ [VN] The ten sides will battle it out in the final next week. 双方将于下周决赛中决一胜负。 (NAmE) He battled cancer for five years. 他同癌症斗争了四年。
battle verb
⇨ compete
battle noun
⇨ campaign (a legal battle) ⇨ war (killed in battle) Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged Search result show the entry is found in: line of battle , or line-of-battle ship , or order of battle , or pitched battle , or reentering order of battle , or battle bill , or battle-board tennis , or battle chess , or battle clasp , or battle cruiser , or battle cry , or battle dance , or battle dress , or battle fatigue , or battle game , or battle group , or battle jacket , or battle lantern , or battle light , or battle line , or battle piece , or battle police , or battle position , or battle range , or battle royal , or battle sight , or trial by battle , or wager of battle , or battle-ax , or battle-axe , or give battle
bat·tleI. \ˈbad. əl, -at əl\ noun( -s) Usage: often attributiveEtymology: Middle English bataile, batel, from Old French bataille battle, battalion, from Late Latin battalia combat, alteration of battualia fencing exercises, from Latin battuere to beat, of Celtic origin; akin to Gaulish anda bata gladiator that fought while wearing a helmet without eye openings — more at bat 1. : a general fight or encounter between armies, ships of war, or aircraft : a general and prolonged military engagement : combat < the 4-month battle at Anzio >2. : a combat between two persons; specifically : the combat by which disputes were legally decided — see trial by battle 3. : participation in armed conflict : warfare < and drunk delight of battle with my peers — Alfred Tennyson >4. archaic : a body of troops composing an army or one of its chief divisions; especially : battalion 5. : an extended contest, struggle, or controversy (as between athletic teams or political parties) : war < the advocates of the old classical education have been … fighting a losing battle for over half a century — W.R.Inge > < a battle for control of the railroad >6. obsolete : the main body of a military force especially as distinct from the van and rear II. verb( battled ; battled ; battling \-d. əliŋ, -t( ə)l-\ ; battles) Etymology: Middle English batailen, from Middle French bataillier, from batailleintransitive verb1. : to engage in battle : fight < the king will bid you battle presently — Shakespeare >2. : to contend with full strength, vigor, craft, or other resources : struggle < battled like an avenging angel for the seamen's rights — Van Wyck Brooks > < like one who having battled with the waves — L.G.White >transitive verb1. : to engage in battle with : fight against < when the nobles rebelled the king battled them >2. : to engage in an extended contest, struggle, or controversy with : fight < for three years he battled factions of both parties — Oscar Handlin > < they are battling tremendous odds — Henry Hewes >3. : to force, thrust, or drive by contending or resolute battling < a small boy battled his way through the crowd — Virginia Woolf >Synonyms: see contend III. transitive verb( -ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English batailen, from Middle French bataillier to fortify, from Old French, from bataille fortifying tower, battle archaic : to fortify with battlements < beneath the battled tower — Alfred Tennyson >IV. \ˈbā-, ˈbe-\ variant of baittle V. verb( -ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse beit pasture land — more at bait transitive verbobsolete : to feed well : nourish intransitive verbobsolete : to feed well : thrive VI. \ like battle I\ transitive verb( -ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: probably freq. of bat (II) chiefly South & Midland : to beat (clothes) with a stick or paddle during laundering
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