battle

noun

UK /ˈbæt(ə)l/

Word Forms

singular	battle
plural	battles

1
countable/uncountable a fight between two armies in a war
one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War
battle of:
the Battle of Waterloo
in battle:
soldiers wounded in battle
Synonyms and related words
Wars, battles and military manoeuvres
war
battle
campaign
1. 1a
  countable a fight between two groups of people
  He was wounded in a gun battle with the police.
  Synonyms and related words
  Physical fights
  fight
  battle
  combat
2
countable a situation in which different people or groups compete with each other in order to achieve something or get an advantage
The couple are locked in a bitter legal battle over custody of their children.
a boardroom battle
battle for:
the battle for the leadership of the Labour Party
a battle to do something:
Supermarkets are cutting prices in a desperate battle to win customers.
Synonyms and related words
General words for competitions
arms race
competition
contest
1. 2a
  a situation in which someone is trying very hard to deal with a difficult situation
  battle against:
  She has lost her battle against breast cancer.
  a battle to do something:
  It was a daily battle to get my son to go to school.
  fight a losing battle (=try to do something that will probably fail):
  She tried to get him to go, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle.
  Synonyms and related words
  Difficult situations and experiences
  crisis
  battle
  nightmare
3
pick your battles
to choose to take part in only those fights you are likely to win, rather than contesting everything you disagree with
You pick your battles and this one is not mine.
Submitted by:
rose from United States on 13/05/2017
Open Dictionary - May2017

phrases

the battle lines are drawn

a battle of wills

a battle of wits

do battle

battle

noun

US /ˈbæt(ə)l/

Word Forms

singular	battle
plural	battles

1
countable/uncountable a fight between two armies in a war
one of the bloodiest battles of World War II
battle of:
the Battle of Waterloo
in battle:
soldiers wounded in battle
Synonyms and related words
Wars, battles and military maneuvers
war
battle
campaign
1. 1a
  countable a fight between two groups of people
  He was wounded in a gun battle with the police.
  Synonyms and related words
  Physical fights
  fight
  battle
  combat
2
countable a situation in which different people or groups compete with each other in order to achieve something or get an advantage
The couple are locked in a bitter legal battle over custody of their children.
a boardroom battle
battle for:
the battle for the leadership of the Democratic Party
a battle to do something:
Supermarkets are cutting prices in a desperate battle to win customers.
Synonyms and related words
General words for competitions
arms race
competition
contest
1. 2a
  a situation in which someone is trying very hard to deal with a difficult situation
  battle against:
  She has lost her battle against breast cancer.
  a battle to do something:
  It was a daily battle to get my son to go to school.
  fight a losing battle (=try to do something that will probably fail):
  She tried to get him to go, but she knew she was fighting a losing battle.
  Synonyms and related words
  Difficult situations and experiences
  crisis
  battle
  nightmare
3
pick your battles
to choose to take part in only those fights you are likely to win, rather than contesting everything you disagree with
You pick your battles and this one is not mine.
Submitted by:
rose from United States on 13/05/2017
Open Dictionary - May2017

phrases

the battle lines are drawn

a battle of wills

a battle of wits

do battle

battle

verb

UK /ˈbæt(ə)l/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	battle
he/she/it	battles
present participle	battling
past tense	battled
past participle	battled

1
intransitive/transitive to try very hard to deal with a difficult situation
Many species of birds are battling extinction.
battle against:
She described how they had battled against huge waves to save their friend.
battle to do something:
Surgeons battled to save the man’s life.
Synonyms and related words
To try to deal with a problem or difficulty
deal with
tackle
combat
2
intransitive to compete with someone, or to try to achieve the opposite of what they are trying to achieve
battle with:
Hakkinen was battling with Schumacher for first place.
battle against:
A small, ill-equipped police force is battling against the powerful drug barons.
battle for:
The three men are battling for the world title.
Synonyms and related words
To compete, or to try to win
compete
vie
contend
Synonyms and related words
To oppose something or someone
oppose
go against
have/have got against

phrases

battle it out

battle

verb

US /ˈbæt(ə)l/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	battle
he/she/it	battles
present participle	battling
past tense	battled
past participle	battled

1
intransitive/transitive to try very hard to deal with a difficult situation
Many species of birds are battling extinction.
battle against:
She described how they had battled against huge waves to save their friend.
battle to do something:
Surgeons battled to save the man’s life.
Synonyms and related words
To try to deal with a problem or difficulty
man up
kick something into the long grass
deal with
2
intransitive to compete with someone, or to try to achieve the opposite of what they are trying to achieve
battle with:
Hakkinen was battling with Schumacher for first place.
battle against:
A small, ill-equipped police force is battling against the powerful drug barons.
battle for:
The three men are battling for the world title.
Synonyms and related words
To compete, or to try to win
compete
vie
contend
Synonyms and related words
To oppose something or someone
oppose
go against
have/have got against

phrases

battle it out

battle ​‌‌‌

pick your battles

battle ​‌‌‌

pick your battles

battle ​‌

battle ​‌

battle

battle

battle

battle