Battle — Defs

01 a. Fertile. See Battel, a.

1.
Fertile. See Battel, a.[Obs.] See: Battel

02 n. A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the divisions of an army are or may be engaged; an engagement; a combat.

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.]

Phrases & compounds

Battle piece — a painting, or a musical composition, representing a battle.

Battle royal — A fight between several gamecocks, where the one that stands longest is the victor.

Drawn battle — one in which neither party gains the victory.

To give battle — to attack an enemy.

To join battle — to meet the attack; to engage in battle.

Pitched battle — one in which the armies are previously drawn up in form, with a regular disposition of the forces.

Wager of battle — See under Wager, n.

Syn. 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.

03 v. i. To join in battle; to contend in fight; as, to battle over theories.

imp. & p. p. Battled; p. pr. & vb. n. Battling

1.
To join in battle; to contend in fight; as, to battle over theories.
“To meet in arms, and battle in the plain.” — Prior.

04 v. t. To assail in battle; to fight.

1.
To assail in battle; to fight.