battle
gb/bˈætəl/ us/bˈætəl/
B1
English
~ 1400
csata, küzd, harcol, küzdelem, harc
NOUN
B1
1
csata
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone] fights a battle
The Battle of Waterloo changed the course of European history.
A waterlooi csata megváltoztatta Európa történelmének menetét.
The soldiers prepared for a long and difficult battle.
A katonák egy hosszú és nehéz csatára készültek.
They won the battle but lost many men.
Learner examples
The battle lasted for three days.
A csata három napig tartott.
The army won the battle.
A hadsereg megnyerte a csatát.
Many people died in the battle.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'battle' with 'war'. A war is a long conflict made up of many battles.
Meaning
a fight between armies
Collocations
win a battle
|lose a battle
|battle of [place]
|fierce battle
|bloody battle
Synonyms
combat (More general term for fighting, not necessarily involving armies.)
|
engagement (A formal military term for a specific fight between forces.)
Antonyms
truce (An agreement to stop fighting, opposite of engaging in battle.)
Themes
war
|history
|military
|politics
|law
Definition
A fight between big groups of soldiers or armies.
A fight between large organized armed forces, especially as part of a war.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] battles [someone/something]
They battled fiercely for the championship.
Hevesen küzdöttek a bajnoki címért.
She has been battling illness for years.
Évek óta küzd a betegségével.
The two sides battled over the new law.
Learner examples
He battled his opponent in the game.
A játékban az ellenfelével küzdött.
She is battling a bad cold.
Erős megfázással küzd.
The teams battled for the prize.
Common mistake:
Some learners use 'battle' only for physical fights, but it can also mean fighting against illness, problems, or challenges.
Meaning
to fight or struggle against
Collocations
battle cancer
|battle opponents
|battle for control
Synonyms
fight (More general term for physical or non-physical struggle.)
|
struggle (Implies great effort, often against difficulties rather than people.)
Antonyms
surrender (To give up instead of continuing to fight.)
Themes
conflict
|effort
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To try hard to win against someone or something.
To engage in a fight or struggle against an opponent, problem, or difficulty.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] faces a battle to [verb]
He faces an uphill battle to change the law.
Nehéz küzdelem vár rá, ha meg akarja változtatni a törvényt.
The company is in a legal battle with its competitor.
A cég jogi harcot vív a versenytársával.
Her recovery has been a long battle.
Learner examples
It was a battle to finish the work on time.
Nagy küzdelem volt időben befejezni a munkát.
They are in a legal battle with the city.
Jogi harcban állnak a várossal.
He faces a battle to stay healthy.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'battle' always involves weapons; in this sense, it is about effort, not physical fighting.
Meaning
a serious struggle or effort
Collocations
battle for survival
|legal battle
|uphill battle
Synonyms
struggle (More general term for effort against difficulties.)
|
fight (Can also mean determined effort, but may sound more aggressive.)
Antonyms
success (When the goal is achieved without much difficulty.)
Themes
effort
|life
|challenge
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A hard effort to do something or stop something.
A determined attempt to deal with or achieve something that is difficult.
Grammar
Dictionary form
battle
IPA
GB/bˈætəl/
US/bˈætəl/
Syllables & stress
battle (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (battle)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: battle
- Plural: battle, battles
Verb
- Base: battle
- 3rd Person Singular: battles
- Present Participle: battling
- Past: battled
Word family
Forms
battles
noun
battling
verb
battled
verb
Related words
Advanced or less common
embattled
adjective
Expressions
an uphill battle
1/ən ˈʌphˈɪl bˈætəl/
idiom
a very hard struggle to succeed
A situation that is very hard to win or succeed in.
Examples
- Getting funding for the project will be an uphill battle.
- Convincing them to change their minds is an uphill battle.
battle it out
1/bˈætəl ˈɪt ˈaʊt/
idiom
compete until one wins
To keep fighting or competing until one side wins.
Examples
- The two players will battle it out in the final match.
- Several candidates are battling it out for the top job.
do battle with
1/dˈu bˈætəl wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
fight or compete with
To fight or compete with someone or something.
Examples
- The team will do battle with their rivals on Saturday.
- He often does battle with local authorities over planning rules.
fight a losing battle
1/fˈaɪt ə lˈuzɪŋ bˈætəl/
idiom
try something sure to fail
To try hard at something that will almost certainly fail.
Examples
- She’s fighting a losing battle trying to change his habits.
- We are fighting a losing battle against time.