Tra từ war - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

war [war wars warred warring] BrE [wɔː(r)] NAmE [wɔːr] noun
1. uncountable, countable a situation in which two or more countries or groups of people fight against each other over a period of time
•the Second World War
•the threat of (a) nuclear war
•to win/lose a/the war
•the war between England and Scotland
•England's war with/against Scotland
• It was the year Britain declared war on Germany.
• 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.
•How long have they been at war?
•a war hero
• (formal)In the Middle Ages England waged war on France.
•Her husband was killed during the war.
•More troops are being despatched to the war zone.
• (formal)the theatre of war (= the area in which fighting takes place)
see also ↑civil war, ↑cold war, ↑council of war, ↑phoney war, ↑post-war, ↑prisoner of war, ↑warring, ↑world war
2. countable, uncountable a situation in which there is aggressive competition between groups, companies, countries, etc
•the class war
•a trade war
see also ↑price war
3. uncountable, singular ~ (against/on sb/sth) a fight or an effort over a long period of time to get rid of or stop sth unpleasant
• The government has declared war on drug dealers.
• We seem to be winning the war against crime.
more at all's fair in love and war at ↑fair _adj.
Idioms: ↑have been in the wars ▪ ↑war of nerves ▪ ↑war of words

Word Origin:
late Old English werre, from an Anglo-Norman French variant of Old French guerre, from a Germanic base shared by ↑worse.

Collocations:
War and peace
Starting a war
declare/make/wage war (on sb/sth)
go to war (against/with sb)
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 sb's territory
lead/launch/resist/repel an invasion
Military operations
adopt/develop/implement/pursue a military strategy
carry out/execute/perform military operations/manoeuvres/(especially US) maneuvers
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 sb)
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
Fighting
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 sb/sth)
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
Civilians in 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
Making peace
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 sb/sth
establish/send (in) a peacekeeping force
negotiate/conclude/ratify/sign/accept/reject/break/violate a peace treaty

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:
•Both candidates have distinguished war records.
•Congress has made a formal declaration of war.
•Every available resource went towards the war effort.
•He fears the violence could spark a civil war.
•He took part in the Vietnam War.
•He was held as a prisoner of 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.
•My grandfather fought in two world wars.
•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 army had been placed on a war footing.
•The country had just emerged from the horrors of civil war.
•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 government has a $20-billion war chest to fight terrorism.
•The outcome of the war was far from certain.
•The terrorists were charged with waging war against the state.
•The two countries fought a short but bloody war.
•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.
•They launched a trade war against France.
•Unexploded mines were a big danger to civilians in the aftermath of the war.
•a country at war
•a trade war with the United States
•a war against drug abuse
•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
•During the First World War, Flanders was transformed into one huge battlefield.
•Edgehill was the first battle in the English Civil War.
•The US threatened a trade war with Europe after the breakdown of the talks.
•The USA declared war on Germany in 1917.
•The country seemed at times to be close to class war.
•The two countries were at war for eight years.
•When war broke out he became separated from his family.