Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

4 VERB To battle with an opposing group means to take part in a fight or contest against them. In American English, you can also say that one group or person is battling another. □ [V + with/against ] Thousands of people battled with police and several were reportedly wounded. □ [V ] The sides must battle again for a quarter-final place on December 16. □ [V n] They're also battling the government to win compensation.

5 VERB To battle means to try hard to do something in spite of very difficult circumstances. In British English, you battle against something or with something. In American English, you battle something. □ [V to-inf] Doctors battled throughout the night to save her life. □ [V + with/against/through ] …a lone yachtsman returning from his months of battling with the elements. □ [V n] In Wyoming, firefighters are still battling the two blazes. ●  bat|tler (battlers ) N‑COUNT □  If anyone can do it, he can. He's a battler and has a strong character.

6 → see also pitched battle , running battle

7 PHRASE If one person or group does battle with another, they take part in a battle or contest against them. You can also say that two people or groups do battle . □ [+ with/against ] He himself was going south to Gojjam to do battle with the rebels.

8 PHRASE If you say that something is half the battle , you mean that it is the most important step towards achieving something. □  Choosing the right type of paint for the job is half the battle.

9 PHRASE If you are fighting a losing battle , you are trying to achieve something but are not going to be successful. □  The crew fought a losing battle to try to restart the engines. □ [+ against ] …on a day when the sun is fighting a losing battle against the lowering clouds. [Also + with ]

10 PHRASE If one group or person battles it out with another, they take part in a fight or contest against each other until one of them wins or a definite result is reached. You can also say that two groups or two people battle it out . □ [+ with ] In the Cup Final, Leeds battled it out with the old enemy, Manchester United.

11 PHRASE If you say that someone has lost the battle , but won the war , you mean that although they have been defeated in a small conflict they have won a larger, more important one of which it was a part. If you say that someone has won the battle but lost the war , you mean that they have won the small conflict but lost the larger one. □  The strikers may have won the battle, but they lost the war. SYNONYMS battle NOUN

1

conflict:…talks aimed at ending four decades of conflict.

clash:There were a number of clashes between police and demonstrators.

combat:Over 16 million men had died in combat.

attack:…a campaign of air attacks on strategic targets.

2

dispute:They have won previous pay disputes with the government.

struggle:He is currently locked in a power struggle with his Prime Minister.

debate:An intense debate is going on within the Israeli government.

ba ttle-axe (battle-axes ) The spellings battleaxe , and in American English battle-ax are also used. 1 N‑COUNT If you call a middle-aged or older woman a battle-axe , you mean she is very difficult and unpleasant because of her fierce and determined attitude. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]

2 N‑COUNT A battle-axe is a large axe that was used as a weapon.