Tra từ battle - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

bat·tle [battle battles battled battling] noun, verb BrE [ˈbætl] NAmE [ˈbætl]
noun
1. countable, uncountable a fight between armies, ships or planes, especially during a war; a violent fight between groups of people
•the battle of Waterloo
•to be killed in battle
•a gun battle
•to go into battle
see also ↑pitched battle
2. countable ~ (with sb) (for sth) a competition, an argument or a struggle between people or groups of people trying to win power or control
•a legal battle for compensation
•a battle with an insurance company
•a battle of wits (= when each side uses their ability to think quickly to try to win)
•a battle of wills (= when each side is very determined to win)
•the battle of the sexes
•the endless battle between man and nature
3. countable, usually singular a determined effort that sb makes to solve a difficult problem or succeed in a difficult situation
•~ (against sth) her long battle against cancer
•to fight an uphill battle against prejudice
•~ (for sth) a battle for survival
•~ (with sth) his battle with alcoholism
more at fight a losing battlefight your own battles at ↑fight _v., join battle at ↑join _v.

Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia ‘military or gladiatorial exercises’, from Latin battuere ‘to beat’.

Thesaurus:
battle noun
1. C, U
•Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.
fighting • • combat • • campaign • • skirmish • • war • • conflict • |especially journalism action • • hostilities •
(a/an) battle/fighting/combat/campaign/skirmish/war/conflict/action/hostilities with/between/against sb/sth
in battle/fighting/combat/war/conflict/action/hostilities
win/lose a battle/campaign/skirmish/war/conflict
fight a battle/campaign/war
2. C
•the legal battle for compensation
struggle • • fight • • campaign • • crusade • • war • • drive •
a battle/struggle/fight/campaign/crusade/drive for sth
a battle/struggle/fight/campaign/crusade/drive/war against sth
win/lose the battle/struggle/fight/war
Battle or struggle? A struggle is always about things that seem absolutely necessary. A battle can also be about things that are desirable but not absolutely necessary:
•the battle/struggle between good and evil/man and nature
✗ a legal struggle for compensation:
•a battle of wills/wits
✗ a struggle of wills/wits

Synonyms:
campaign
battle • struggle • drive • war • fight
These are all words for an effort made to achieve or prevent sth.
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
battle or struggle?
A struggle is always about things that seem absolutely necessary, such as life and death or freedom. A battle can also be about things that are not absolutely necessary, just desirable, or about the pleasure of winning: ▪ the battle/struggle between good and evil ◇ a legal struggle for compensation ◇ a struggle of wills/wits.
drive • an organized effort by a group of people to achieve sth: ▪ the drive for greater efficiency ◇ ▪ a drive to reduce energy consumption
campaign or drive?
A campaign is usually aimed at getting other people to do sth; a drive may be an attempt by people to get themselves to do sth: ▪ From today, we're going on an ▪ economy drive ▪ ▪ (= we must spend less) ▪. A campaign may be larger, more formal and more organized than a drive.
war • [sing.] an effort over a long period of time to get rid of or stop sth bad: ▪ the war against crime
fight • [sing.] the work of trying to stop or prevent sth bad or achieve sth good; an act of competing, especially in a sport: ▪ Workers won their fight to stop compulsory redundancies.
war or fight?
A war is about stopping things, like drugs and crime, that everyone agrees are bad. A fight can be about achieving justice for yourself.
a campaign/battle/struggle/drive/war/fight against sth
a campaign/battle/struggle/drive/fight for sth
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

Example Bank:
•A policy battle is raging in Washington.
•A ten-month legal battle ensued.
•A turf battle among competing drug cartels has claimed several lives.
•Are you prepared to do battle with your insurance company over the claim?
•As a parent, you have to pick your battles.
•Charles V refused to give battle.
•He died in battle.
•Iwo Jima was for many the climactic battle of World War II.
•Many young men were sent into battle without proper training.
•My parents believed in leaving me to fight my own battles.
•Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.
•Police fought a pitched battle against demonstrators.
•Scores of people have been hurt in running battles with police.
•She saw a way to end the prolonged legal battle.
•The college president fought a running battle with the editors of the student newspaper.
•The government now faces a new battle over tax increases.
•The leaders anxiously watched the battle unfold.
•The squadron was getting ready for the coming battle.
•The two armies fought a pitched battle on the plain.
•The two armies joined battle.
•The upcoming political battle could be for the allegiance of the young.
•There's now a real battle at the top of the First Division.
•They are engaged in a long-running legal battle with their competitors.
•We seem to be fighting a losing battle.
•a fierce battle between developers and the local community
•a gun battle between police and drug smugglers
•a heated battle between the oil industry and environmentalists
•his long battle against cancer
•the battle for human rights
•He had been conducting a personal battle of wits with the sales manager since his first day at work.
•His father had been killed in battle.
•Looking after a two-year-old needn't be a constant battle of wills.
•She finally won the legal battle for compensation.
•The battle claimed the lives of 3 soldiers and 40 guerrillas.
•The essay discusses the endless battle between man and nature.
Idioms: ↑battle lines are drawn ▪ ↑do battle ▪ ↑half the battle

verb intransitive, transitive
to try very hard to achieve sth difficult or to deal with sth unpleasant or dangerous
• Both teams battled hard.
• I had to battle hard just to stay afloat.
•~ with/against sb/sth (for sth) She's still battling with a knee injury.
•We had to battle against the elements to reach safety.
•~ for sth The two leaders are battling for control of the government.
•The two sides will battle it out in the final next week.
•It's vital that we keep battling away at the problem.
•~ sth (NAmE)He battled cancer for four years.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia ‘military or gladiatorial exercises’, from Latin battuere ‘to beat’.

Example Bank:
•Competitors battled it out against the clock.
•Doctors battled in vain to save his life.
•He battled his way to the bar.
•He battled with cancer for many months.
•Rescuers battled against torrential rain and high winds.
•Residents are battling over plans for a new airport runway.
•Riot police battled with 4 000 students.
•The child battled bravely for her life.
•We battled through the snowstorm.
•We'll keep battling away and hope that the goals start to come.
•battling for control of the party
•battling with leukaemia
•She's still battling with a knee injury.
•The players have battled hard.
•The victims are battling for compensation.
•There are players from eight countries battling for the title.
•Unions are battling with the company over the job losses.