bat·tle  (băt l)
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n. 1. a. A fight between two armed forces, usually on a large scale: an important battle in the Pacific campaign. b. Armed fighting; combat: wounded in battle. 2. A match between two combatants: trial by battle. 3. a. A protracted controversy or struggle: won the battle of the budget. b. An intense competition: a battle of wits. v. bat·tled, bat·tling, bat·tles v. intr. To engage in or as if in battle. v. tr. To fight against: battled the enemy; battled cancer.
[Middle English batel, from Old French bataille, from Vulgar Latin *battālia, from Late Latin battuālia, fighting and fencing exercises, from Latin battuere, to beat.]
battler n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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