Battle

Part of speech: noun (n.)

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.

Synonyms: Conflict; encounter; contest; action. 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.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To join in battle; to contend in fight; as, to battle over theories. To meet in arms, and battle in the plain. Prior.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To assail in battle; to fight.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

Fertile. See Battel, a. [Obs.]