enemy

en·e·my

E0141500 (ĕn′ə-mē)n. pl. en·e·mies 1. a. One who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes another; a foe.b. One who opposes or is hostile to an idea or cause: an enemy of democracy.c. Something destructive or injurious in its effects: "Art hath an enemy called Ignorance" (Ben Jonson).2. a. A hostile power or force, such as a nation.b. A member or unit of such a force.3. A group of foes or hostile forces. See Usage Note at collective noun.adj. Of, relating to, or being a hostile power or force.

[Middle English enemi, from Old French, from Latin inimīcus : in-, not; see in-¹ + amīcus, friend.]

enemy

(ˈɛnəmɪ) n, pl -mies1. a person hostile or opposed to a policy, cause, person, or group, esp one who actively tries to do damage; opponent2. (Military) a. an armed adversary; opposing military forceb. (as modifier): enemy aircraft. 3. a. a hostile nation or peopleb. (as modifier): an enemy alien. 4. something that harms or opposes; adversary: courage is the enemy of failure. [C13: from Old French enemi, from Latin inimīcus hostile, from in-¹ + amīcus friend]

en•e•my

(ˈɛn ə mi)

n., pl. -mies,
adj. n. 1. a person who hates, opposes, or fosters harmful designs against another; hostile opponent. 2. an opposing military force. 3. a ship, aircraft, etc., of such a force. 4. a hostile nation or state. 5. a citizen of such a state. 6. something harmful or prejudicial. adj. 7. belonging to a hostile power or to any of its nationals: enemy property. 8. Obs. inimical; ill-disposed. [1250–1300; < Old French < Latin inimicus unfriendly; =in- in-³ + amicus friendly, friend; see amicable] usage: See collective noun.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	enemy - an opposing military force; "the enemy attacked at dawn"military force, military group, military unit, force - a unit that is part of some military service; "he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men"foe, foeman, enemy, opposition - an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force); "a soldier must be prepared to kill his enemies"
	2.	enemy - an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force); "a soldier must be prepared to kill his enemies"foe, foeman, oppositionenemy - an opposing military force; "the enemy attacked at dawn"armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"adversary, antagonist, opposer, resister, opponent - someone who offers oppositionbesieger - an enemy who lays siege to your position
	3.	enemy - any hostile group of people; "he viewed lawyers as the real enemy"people - (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively; "old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience"
	4.	enemy - a personal enemy; "they had been political foes for years"foemortal enemy - an enemy who wants to kill youchallenger, competitor, contender, rival, competition - the contestant you hope to defeat; "he had respect for his rivals"; "he wanted to know what the competition was doing"

enemy

noun foe, rival, opponent, the opposition, competitor, the other side, adversary, antagonist His enemies were quick to take advantage of his weakness.
friend, ally, supporter, confederate, main man (slang, chiefly U.S.), cobber (Austral. or old-fashioned N.Z. informal)Related words
adjective inimicalQuotations
"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes" [Antisthenes]
"You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you" [Eric Hoffer The Passionate State of Mind]
"A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies" [Oscar Wilde Lady Windermere's Fan]
"A very great man once said you should love your enemies, and that's not a bad piece of advice. We can love them, but, by God, that doesn't mean we're not going to fight them" [Norman Schwarzkopf]
"The enemy advances, we retreat."
"The enemy camps, we harass."
"The enemy tires, we attack."
"The enemy retreats, we pursue" [Mao Zedong slogan for his troops]
"We have met the enemy and he is us" [Walt Kelly Pogo]
"Yet is every man his own greatest enemy, and as it were his own executioner" [Thomas Browne Religio Medici]
"If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility" [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Driftwood]

enemy

nounOne who is hostile to or opposes the purposes or interests of another:archenemy, foe, nemesis.

Translations

敌人敌军敌国敌方的仇人

enemy

(ˈenəmi) – plural ˈenemies – noun1. a person who hates or wishes to harm one. She is so good and kind that she has no enemies. 仇人，敌人 2. (also noun plural) troops, forces, a nation etc opposed to oneself in war etc. He's one of the enemy; The enemy was/were encamped on the hillside; (also adjective) enemy forces. （复数形）敌军，敌国，（形容词）敌方的

enemy

→ 敌人zhCN

enemy

let (the) perfect be the enemy of (the) good

To allow the demand, desire, or insistence for perfection decrease the chances of obtaining a good or favorable result in the end. (Usually used in the negative as an imperative.) I know you want your research paper to be great, but don't let perfect be the enemy of good, or you won't even finish it in time! As a manager, you have to realize both the potential and the limits of your employees, so be sure not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good.See also: enemy, good, let, of, perfect

sworn enemy

A person, group, or organization for whom one holds a particularly intense, deep-seated hatred. Our environmentalist lobby group is heading out to protest against Big Oil, our sworn enemy.See also: enemy, sworn

enemy combatant

A term, popularized during the post-9/11 War on Terror, applied to a captured fighter who was allowed fewer rights than those laid out in the Geneva Convention. Many of the enemy combatants captured in Afghanistan were taken to be held at special military sites.See also: enemy

keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Be very aware of your enemies' behavior in order to detect and avoid any malicious actions. A: "Why were you talking to Katie? I thought you hated her." B: "I'm trying to see if she has any dirt on me for the student council debate. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?"See also: and, close, enemy, friend, keep

my enemy's enemy is my friend

A phrase highlighting how a common enemy can be a unifying force for otherwise disparate groups or people. I didn't want to work with that organization until I realized that we all wanted to keep the same candidate out of the White House. That's when I realized that my enemy's enemy is my friend.See also: enemy, friend

no plan survives contact with the enemy

Military plans always need to be changed once they are enacted in real-life military situations. The saying emphasizes the need for flexibility, as opposed to strict adherence to strategy. It is attributed to Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, a 19th-century Prussian field marshal. Men, be ready to make changes on the battlefield—we all know that no plan survives contact with the enemy.See also: contact, enemy, no, plan, survive

the enemy of my enemy is my friend

A phrase highlighting how a common enemy can be a unifying force for otherwise disparate groups or people. I didn't want to work with that organization until I realized that we all wanted to keep the same candidate out of office. That's when I realized that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.See also: enemy, friend, of

be (one's) own worst enemy

To do things that complicate one's life and/or keep one from success; to be self-destructive or self-sabotaging. Of course Tommy started skipping school again—he's his own worst enemy. She always sabotages a relationship when it's going really well because she's her own worst enemy.See also: enemy, own, worst

best is the enemy of (the) good

To allow the demand, desire, or insistence for perfection decreases the chances of obtaining a good or favorable result in the end. I know you want your research paper to be great, but remember that best is the enemy of good. I mean, you'll fail if you don't even finish it in time! As a manager, you have to realize both the potential and the limits of your employees. Keep in mind that best is the enemy of the good.See also: enemy, good, of

I wouldn't wish (something) on my worst enemy

The thing being discussed is so bad that no one deserves to be subjected to it, not even a person I hate. I wouldn't wish cancer on my worst enemy. No one should have to go through that. That's the worst class I've ever taken. I wouldn't wish that professor on my worst enemy. Buffering videos are truly the worst. I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy.See also: enemy, on, wish, worst

public enemy number one

A person or concept that is despised or disapproved of by a large portion of the population. The pharmaceutical executive became public enemy number one almost overnight with his decision to hike the price of an inexpensive but lifesaving drug. The newly elected prime minister has stated that the homelessness crisis would be considered public enemy number one under her administration.See also: enemy, number, one, public

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

A humorous statement indicating that the behavior of one's friend(s) has been harmful or malevolent, i.e. behavior one would associate with an enemy rather than a friend. A: "My friends ditched me again, so I had to find a ride home." B: "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"See also: friend, like, needs, who

(one's) own worst enemy

Causing complications to one's life and/or keeping oneself from success; self-destructive or self-sabotaging. Tommy's becoming his own worst enemy with the way he's been skipping school lately. She always sabotages a relationship when it's going really well because she's her own worst enemy.See also: enemy, own, worst

meals rejected by the enemy

A false, humorous expansion of the initialism MRE, which actually stands for "meal ready to eat" (a military ration pack that requires no further preparation). The joke is that the food is so unpleasant that it had been discarded by the enemy before being repackaged for one's own consumption. After 12 long months eating meals rejected by the enemy, I'm ready to get back to home-cooked meals in my own home.See also: by, enemy, meal, reject

(the) good is the enemy of (the) great

Settling for things that are merely good or adequate can prohibit one from achieving that which is truly great. My opponent wants our government to provide only enough funding for "good" services—good schools, good hospitals, good infrastructure, and so on. But good is the enemy of the great, and that is why he and his party will never lead our country to its fullest potential. You should never allow your employees to get away with mediocrity, because good is the enemy of great, and if left unchecked it will hinder your company's ability to grow.See also: enemy, good, great, of

(the) good is the enemy of (the) best

Settling for things that are merely good or adequate can prohibit one from achieving that which is ideal. My opponent wants our government to provide only enough funding for "good" services—good schools, good hospitals, good infrastructure, and so on. But good is the enemy of the best, and that is why he and his party will never lead our country to its fullest potential. You should never allow your employees to get away with mediocrity, for the good is the enemy of the best, and if left unchecked it will hinder your company's ability to grow.See also: enemy, good, of

best is the enemy of the good

Prov. If you are too ambitious and try to make something better than you are capable of, you may ruin it. Bob: After I revise it a few more times, my novel will be the best ever written. Alan: I don't think you should revise it any more. Remember, the best is the enemy of the good. In fundraising as in other areas, the best is the enemy of the good. If you ask someone for a larger contribution than he can possibly give, he may give you nothing at all.See also: enemy, good, of

The good is the enemy of the best.

Prov. Instead of making things the best that they can, people often settle for making them merely good. Mother: Aren't you going to rewrite your paper? Child: Why? It's good enough. Mother: The good is the enemy of the best.See also: enemy, good, of

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

and I wouldn't wish that on a dog.Fig. I would not wish that to happen to even the worst or lowliest person. A skunk sprayed him! I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. What a hideous disease! I wouldn't wish that on a dog.See also: enemy, on, that, wish, worst

*one's own worst enemy

Fig. consistently causing oneself to fail; more harmful to oneself than other people are. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) Ellen: My boss is my enemy. She never says anything good about me. Jane: Ellen, you're your own worst enemy. If you did your job responsibly, your boss would be nicer.See also: enemy, own, worst

your own worst enemy

COMMON If you say that someone is their own worst enemy, you mean that their own behaviour causes most of their problems. In a way I'm my own worst enemy — too critical and hard on myself. The patients are their own worst enemy. They keep missing appointments.See also: enemy, own, worst

be your own worst enemy

act contrary to your own interests; be self-destructive. 1993 Richard Lowe & William Shaw Travellers We convinced ourselves that everything was against us but the truth was we were probably our own worst enemies. See also: enemy, own, worst

public enemy number one

1 a notorious wanted criminal. 2 a person or thing regarded as the greatest threat to a group or community. 2 1995 Independent So foods that pile on the pounds are seen as Public Enemy Number One. See also: enemy, number, one, public

public ˌenemy number ˈone

a person or a thing that is thought to be the greatest threat to a group or community: Genetically modified foods have replaced nuclear power as public enemy number one. ♢ The gangster Kline became America’s public enemy number one during the Depression.See also: enemy, number, one, public

wouldn’t wish something on my, etc. worst ˈenemy

(informal) used for saying that something is so unpleasant, painful, etc. that you would not like anyone to experience it: It’s a terrible job — it’s dirty, noisy and boring. I wouldn’t wish a job like that on my worst enemy.See also: enemy, on, something, wish, worst

be your ˌown worst ˈenemy

be a person who often creates problems or difficulties for himself/herself: He spends all his money on clothes, and then finds that he’s got nothing left to live on — if you ask me, he’s his own worst enemy.See also: enemy, own, worst

own worst enemy, to be one's

To be the major source of one’s own difficulties. The Greek philosopher Anacharsis (ca. 550 b.c.) already was stating this idea: “What is man’s chief enemy? Each is his own.” Cicero said it of Julius Caesar (Ad Atticum, 49 b.c.). In more recent times, cartoonist Walt Kelly expressed the same thought through his main character, Pogo: “We have met the enemy, and they is us.” See also: own, worst

with friends like that, who needs enemies

See under et tu, brute!See also: enemy, friend, like, needs, who

enemy

en·e·my

enemy

en•e•my

enemy

enemy

enemy

enemy

enemy

let (the) perfect be the enemy of (the) good

sworn enemy

enemy combatant

keep your friends close and your enemies closer

my enemy's enemy is my friend

no plan survives contact with the enemy

the enemy of my enemy is my friend

be (one's) own worst enemy

best is the enemy of (the) good

I wouldn't wish (something) on my worst enemy

public enemy number one

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

(one's) own worst enemy

meals rejected by the enemy

(the) good is the enemy of (the) great

(the) good is the enemy of (the) best

best is the enemy of the good

The good is the enemy of the best.

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

*one's own worst enemy

your own worst enemy

be your own worst enemy

public enemy number one

public ˌenemy number ˈone

wouldn’t wish something on my, etc. worst ˈenemy

be your ˌown worst ˈenemy

own worst enemy, to be one's

with friends like that, who needs enemies

Enemy

Enemy

Enemy

enemy

Synonyms for enemy

noun foe

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Antonyms

Synonyms for enemy

noun one who is hostile to or opposes the purposes or interests of another

Synonyms

Synonyms for enemy

noun an opposing military force

Related Words

noun an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)

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Related Words

noun any hostile group of people

Related Words

noun a personal enemy

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