war
noun /wɔː(r)/
/wɔːr/
Idioms - the Second World War
- the threat of (a) nuclear war
- to win/lose a/the war
- war between A and B the war between England and Scotland
- war with somebody England's war with Scotland
- war against somebody The war against Spain lasted 18 years.
- war on somebody It was the year Britain declared war on Germany.
- (formal) In the Middle Ages England waged war on France.
- He returned home to the US at the end of the war.
- Social and political problems led to the outbreak (= the beginning) of war.
- Where were you living when war broke out?
- The government does not want to go to war (= start a war) unless all other alternatives have failed.
- The two countries fought a short but bloody war.
- My grandfather fought in the war.
- Her husband was killed during the war.
- at war How long have they been at war?
- a war hero/veteran
- More troops are being despatched to the war zone.
- (formal) the theatre of war (= the area in which fighting takes place)
Homophones war | worewar wore/wɔː(r)//wɔːr/- war noun
- It's in memory of the soldiers who gave their lives during the war.
- wore verb (past tense of wear)
- He wore his raincoat all day, even though it was sunny.
Collocations War and peaceWar and peaceStarting a war- declare/make/wage war (on somebody/something)
- go to war (against/with somebody)
- cause/spark/provoke/foment/quell unrest
- incite/lead/crush/suppress a revolt/rebellion
- launch/mount/carry out a surprise/terrorist attack
- prevent/halt/represent an escalation of the conflict
- be torn apart by/be on the brink of civil war
- enter/invade/occupy somebody’s territory
- lead/launch/resist/repel an invasion
- adopt/develop/implement/pursue a military strategy
- carry out/execute/perform military operations/manoeuvres
- send/deploy/station/pull back/withdraw troops
- go on/fly/carry out a reconnaissance/rescue mission
- train/equip/deploy army/military/combat units
- lead/launch/conduct a raid/a surprise attack/an (air/airborne/amphibious) assault (on somebody)
- employ/use guerrilla tactics
- conduct/wage biological/guerrilla warfare
- fight/crush/defeat the rebels/the insurgency
- suffer/inflict a crushing defeat
- achieve/win a decisive victory
- halt/stop the British/German/Russian advance
- order/force a retreat
- join/serve in the army/navy/air force
- be/go/remain/serve on active duty
- serve/complete/return from a tour of duty
- be sent to the front (line)
- attack/strike/engage/defeat/kill/destroy the enemy
- see/report/be engaged in heavy fighting
- call for/be met with armed resistance
- come under heavy/machine-gun/mortar fire
- fire a machine-gun/mortar shells/rockets (at somebody/something)
- shoot a rifle/a pistol/bullets/missiles
- launch/fire a cruise/ballistic/anti-tank missile
- use biological/chemical/nuclear weapons
- inflict/suffer/sustain heavy losses/casualties
- be hit/killed by enemy/friendly/artillery fire
- become/be held as a prisoner of war
- harm/kill/target/protect innocent/unarmed civilians
- cause/avoid/limit/minimize civilian casualties/collateral damage
- impose/enforce/lift a curfew
- engage in/be a victim of ethnic cleansing
- be sent to an internment/a concentration camp
- accept/house/resettle refugees fleeing from war
- fear/threaten military/violent reprisals
- commit/be accused of war crimes/crimes against humanity/genocide
- make/bring/win/achieve/maintain/promote peace
- call for/negotiate/broker/declare a ceasefire/a temporary truce
- sign a ceasefire agreement
- call for/bring/put an end to hostilities
- demand/negotiate/accept the surrender of somebody/something
- establish/send (in) a peacekeeping force
- negotiate/conclude/ratify/sign/accept/reject/break/violate a peace treaty
Wordfindersee also civil war, cold war, council of war, phoney war, post-war, pre-war, prisoner of war, proxy war, warring, world war- aggression
- arms
- army
- attack
- casualty
- conflict
- defend
- hostile
- territory
- war
Extra ExamplesTopics War and conflicta2- Both candidates have distinguished war records.
- Congress has made a formal declaration of war.
- Every available resource went towards the war effort.
- He took part in the Vietnam War.
- He was wounded twice during the course of the war.
- In times of war, troops were billeted in the mill.
- My grandfather fought in the Korean War.
- Six years of total war had left no citizen untouched.
- The Spartans were persuaded to make war on Athens.
- The US declared war on Japan.
- The United States entered the war in 1917.
- The country has long been a theatre/theater of war.
- The country was now in a state of war.
- The country went to war in 1914.
- The crisis took Europe to the brink of war.
- The outcome of the war was far from certain.
- The terrorists were charged with waging war against the state.
- The war raged for nearly two years.
- These aircraft are designed to take troops and weapons to any theatre of war in the shortest time possible.
- Unexploded mines were a big danger to civilians in the aftermath of the war.
- a country at war
- a war of liberation
- critiques of the mainstream media's war coverage
- killed in war
- talks to prevent the war from escalating
- the Greek war for independence
- the Soviet war machine
- the shortage of food during the war years
- the war against the French
- the war correspondent of a daily newspaper
- war between Iran and Iraq
- The USA declared war on Germany in 1917.
- The two countries were at war for eight years.
- When war broke out he became separated from his family.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- short
- impending
- …
- be in
- fight in
- fight
- …
- approach
- loom
- threaten
- …
- years
- hero
- veteran
- …
- at war
- between the wars
- in (a/the) war
- …
- the aftermath of the war
- the brink of war
- the course of a/the war
- …
- war with somebody The US threatened a trade war with Europe after the breakdown of the talks.
- war against/on somebody They launched a trade war against France.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- short
- impending
- …
- be in
- fight in
- fight
- …
- approach
- loom
- threaten
- …
- years
- hero
- veteran
- …
- at war
- between the wars
- in (a/the) war
- …
- the aftermath of the war
- the brink of war
- the course of a/the war
- …
- war on somebody/something The government has declared war on drug dealers.
- Our two countries work together in fighting the war on terrorism.
- war against somebody/something We seem to be winning the war against crime.
- a war against drug abuse
Synonyms campaigncampaign- battle
- struggle
- drive
- war
- fight
- campaign a series of planned activities that are intended to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim:
- the campaign for parliamentary reform
- an advertising campaign
- battle a competition or argument between people or groups of people trying to win power or control:
- She finally won the legal battle for compensation.
- the endless battle between man and nature
- struggle a competition or argument between people or groups of people trying to win power or control:
- the struggle for independence
- the struggle between good and evil
- drive an organized effort by a group of people to achieve something:
- the drive for greater efficiency
- a drive to reduce energy consumption
- war [sing.] an effort over a long period of time to get rid of or stop something bad:
- the war against crime
- fight [sing.] the work of trying to stop or prevent something bad or achieve something good; an act of competing, especially in a sport:
- Workers won their fight to stop compulsory redundancies.
- a campaign/battle/struggle/drive/war/fight against something
- a campaign/battle/struggle/drive/fight for something
- a one-man/one-woman/personal campaign/battle/struggle/war
- a bitter campaign/battle/struggle/drive/war/fight
- to launch/embark on a campaign/battle/drive
- to lead/continue the campaign/battle/struggle/drive/fight
- to win/lose a battle/struggle/war/fight
Word Originlate Old English werre, from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French guerre, from a Germanic base shared by worse.
Idioms
all’s fair in love and war
- (saying) in some situations any type of behaviour is acceptable to get what you want
have been in the wars
- (informal) to have been injured in a fight or an accident
- You look like you've been in the wars—who gave you that black eye?
a war of nerves
- an attempt to defeat your opponents by putting pressure on them so that they lose courage or confidence
- The union has been fighting a war of nerves with the management over pay.
a war of words
- a bitter argument over a period of time between two or more people or groups
- the political war of words over tax