battle definition - Dictionary

Dictionary

bat·tle [ bátt'l ]

noun (plural bat·tles)

Definition:

1. armed fight: a large-scale fight between armed forces involving combat between armies, warships, or aircraft

2. struggle: a drawn-out conflict between adversaries, or against powerful forces

the battle against malaria

verb (past and past participle bat·tled, present participle bat·tling, 3rd person present singular bat·tles)

Definition:

1. transitive and intransitive verb fight: to fight in a battle

2. intransitive verb strive: to strive or contend in order to overcome or achieve something

continues to battle to save her career

3. transitive verb struggle against somebody or something: to fight or contend with somebody or something, in or as if in a battle

determined to battle terrorism

[13th century. Via French bataille< late Latin battualia "military or gladiatorial exercises" < bat(t)uere "to beat"]

be half the battle to be an important first part of a difficult task

Shipping the books on time is only half the battle; we have to sell them too.

do battle (with somebody or something) to fight or struggle against somebody or something

fight a losing battle to try hard with no prospect of success

Word Usage


	The use of battle with a direct object, as in The people of South Carolina have been battling a hurricane, instead of with a preposition, as in battle against or battle with something, is a feature of North American usage that has begun to enter other varieties of English also. This is partly a revival of an older use that died out in the 19th century.

Word Key: Synonyms