bat·tle

noun

/ˈbætl/

Idioms

[countable, uncountable] a fight between armies, ships or planes, especially during a war; a violent fight between groups of people战役；战斗；搏斗
- Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.拿破仑在滑铁卢战役中战败。
- in battle His father had been killed in battle.他父亲在战斗中阵亡。
- to go into battle投入战斗
- battle with somebody Hundreds of protesters fought running battles with the police. 数百名抗议者与警察展开了持久战。
- battle against somebody In 1817 Bolivar won a series of battles against Spanish forces.1817 年，玻利瓦尔与西班牙军队对战，取得了连番胜利。
- battle between A and B It ended in a gun battle between police and drug smugglers.最终警察和毒品走私犯之间发生了一场枪战。
see also pitched battle
Extra Examples
- He died in battle.他阵亡了。
- Many young men were sent into battle without proper training.许多年轻人没有受到应有的训练就被送上了战场。
- The film has all the usual car chases and gun battles.这部电影有所有常见的汽车追逐和枪战。
- The battle between police and demonstrators continued for several hours.警察和示威者之间的战斗持续了几个小时。
- Charles V refused to give battle.查理五世拒绝开战。
- Iwo Jima was for many the climactic battle of World War II.对许多人来说硫磺岛之战是二战的高潮之战。
- The leaders anxiously watched the battle unfold.领袖们焦急地关注着战役逐步展开。
- The squadron was getting ready for the coming battle.中队正在为即将到来的战役做好准备。
- The battle claimed the lives of three soldiers and 40 guerrillas.这场战斗夺去了3名士兵和40名游击队员的生命。
- Police fought a pitched battle against demonstrators.警方和示威者展开了激战。
- Scores of people have been hurt in running battles with police.很多人在与警察的持久战中受了伤。
Topics Historyb1, War and conflictb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- fierce
- pitched
- running
- …
verb + battle
- fight
battle + verb
- erupt
preposition
- battle against
- battle between
- battle with
- …
[countable] a competition, an argument or a struggle between people or groups of people trying to win power or control较量；争论；斗争
- battle for something She finally won her six-year battle for compensation.她终于赢得了六年的赔偿斗争。
- battle with somebody (for something) They are engaged in a legal battle with their competitors.他们正在与竞争对手进行一场法律战。
- battle against somebody He faces an uphill battle against a hostile press. 他面临着与敌对媒体的艰苦斗争。
- a battle of wits (= when each side uses their ability to think quickly to try to win)智斗
- a battle of wills (= when each side is very determined to win)意志的较量
- the battle of the sexes两性之争
- battle between A and B The essay discusses the endless battle between man and nature.文章讨论了人与自然之间永无休止的斗争。
- battle over something The government now faces a new battle over tax increases.在增税问题上政府正面临着一场新的战争。
Synonyms campaign
campaignbattle ▪ struggle ▪ drive ▪ war ▪ fightThese are all words for an effort made to achieve or prevent something.
campaign a series of planned activities that are intended to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim:
the campaign for parliamentary reform要求议会进行改革的运动
an advertising campaign 广告宣传运动（以推销某产品）
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.她终于赢得了这场要求赔偿的法律斗争。
the endless battle between man and nature人与自然之间无休止的斗争
struggle a competition or argument between people or groups of people trying to win power or control:
the struggle for independence为独立的斗争
the struggle between good and evil正邪之争
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 something:
the drive for greater efficiency为提高效率而作出的努力
a drive to reduce energy consumption为减少能源消耗而发起的运动
campaign or drive?A campaign is usually aimed at getting other people to do something; a drive may be an attempt by people to get themselves to do something: 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 something bad:
the war against crime反犯罪活动的斗争
fight [sing.] the work of trying to stop or prevent something bad or achieve something good; an act of competing, especially in a sport:
Workers won their fight to stop compulsory redundancies.工人在阻止强制性裁员的斗争中取得了胜利。
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.Patterns
- a campaign/battle/struggle/drive/war/fight against something
- a campaign/battle/struggle/drive/fight for something
- 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
Extra Examples
- A policy battle is raging in Washington.华盛顿在进行一场激烈的政策之争。
- A ten-month legal battle ensued.一场长达 10 个月的法律斗争由此产生。
- She saw a way to end the prolonged legal battle.她想到了一个解决这场旷日持久的法律纠纷的方法。
- The college president fought a running battle with the editors of the student newspaper.大学校长与学生报编辑们进行了旷日持久的较量。
- The upcoming political battle could be for the allegiance of the young.下一场政治较量有可能是为了争夺年轻人的拥护。
- There's now a real battle at the top of the First Division.现在甲级队前几名之间要有一番龙争虎斗。
- A turf battle among competing drug cartels has claimed several lives.贩毒团伙之间争抢地盘使得好几人丧生。
- There followed a fierce battle between developers and the local community.随后开发商与当地社区之间展开了激烈的斗争。
- There is set to be a heated battle between the oil industry and environmentalists.石油工业和环保主义者之间必将展开一场激烈的斗争。
- He had been conducting a personal battle of wits with the sales manager since his first day at work.他从第一天上班开始就一直在和销售经理斗智。
- Looking after a two-year-old needn't be a constant battle of wills.照顾两岁的孩子未必是一场持久的意志较量。
- As a parent, you have to pick your battles.作为父母，你必须决定哪些事值得一搏。
Topics Opinion and argumentb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- bitter
- fierce
- heated
- …
verb + battle
- do
- engage in
- fight
- …
battle + verb
- rage
- begin
- ensue
- …
preposition
- battle against
- battle between
- battle for
- …
phrases
- a battle of ideas
- a battle of words
- a battle of wills
- …
[countable, usually singular] a determined effort that somebody makes to solve a difficult problem or succeed in a difficult situation奋斗；斗争
- battle against something She finally lost her long battle against cancer.她与癌症的长期斗争最终失败了。
- He has fought an uphill battle against prejudice.他同偏见进行了艰苦的斗争。
- battle for something Her life had become a battle for survival.她的人生成了为活下去而挣扎。
- the battle for human rights争取人权的斗争
- battle with something his battle with alcoholism他戒酒的斗争
- battle to do something They have been at the forefront of the battle to save the hospital. 他们一直站在拯救医院的战斗的最前线。
Topics Successb1, Difficulty and failureb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- bitter
- fierce
- heated
- …
verb + battle
- do
- engage in
- fight
- …
battle + verb
- rage
- begin
- ensue
- …
preposition
- battle against
- battle between
- battle for
- …
phrases
- a battle of ideas
- a battle of words
- a battle of wills
- …

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

Idioms

the battle lines are drawn

used to say that people or groups have shown which side they intend to support in an argument or contest that is going to begin战线已经划清（指争战之际各拥一方形成对垒之势）Topics Opinion and argumentc2

do battle (with somebody) (over something)

to fight or argue with somebody（与某人）交锋，争论
- He was quite prepared to do battle with his boss over his promotion.他已经做好了与老板就升职问题进行斗争的准备。
- Are you prepared to do battle with your insurance company over the claim?你准备跟保险公司就索赔问题进行斗争吗？
Topics Opinion and argumentc2

fight your own battles

to be able to win an argument or get what you want without anyone’s help独力战胜；独自奋斗成功
- I wouldn't get involved—he's old enough to fight his own battles.我不想参与。他已经长大，能独自应付了。
- My parents believed in leaving me to fight my own battles.我父母认为应该让我自己去打拚。
Topics Opinion and argumentc2

half the battle

the most important or difficult part of achieving something（完成某事的）关键；最艰难的阶段
- When you’ve got a difficult day ahead, getting a good night’s sleep is often half the battle.当您即将度过艰难的一天时，睡个好觉通常就成功了一半。

join battle (with somebody)

(formal) to begin fighting somebody开始（与某人）交战
- The two armies joined battle.两军交战。
- (figurative) Local residents have joined battle with the council over the lack of parking facilities.当地居民就缺少停车设施一事与政务委员会展开了斗争。

(fight) a losing battle

(to try to do) something that you will probably never succeed in doing（进行）一场打不赢的战争，徒劳之战
- I’m fighting a losing battle against the mess in this house!我正在与这个房子里的混乱进行一场失败的战斗！
- She wanted him to take some responsibility for his actions, but she knew it was a losing battle.她希望他为自己的行为承担一些责任，但她知道这是一场失败的战斗。
Topics Difficulty and failurec2

bat·tle

verb

/ˈbætl/

[intransitive, transitive]

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they battle	/ˈbætl/ /ˈbætl/
he / she / it battles	/ˈbætlz/ /ˈbætlz/
past simple battled	/ˈbætld/ /ˈbætld/
past participle battled	/ˈbætld/ /ˈbætld/
-ing form battling	/ˈbætlɪŋ/ /ˈbætlɪŋ/

to try very hard to achieve something difficult or to deal with something unpleasant or dangerous搏斗；奋斗；斗争
- Both teams battled hard.两队拼得很厉害。
- battle for something The two leaders are battling for control of the government.两位领导人在争夺政府的主导权。
- battle with somebody/something She's still battling with a knee injury.她还在同膝部的伤痛作斗争。
- battle against somebody/something We had to battle against the elements to reach safety.我们必须与自然因素作斗争才能到达安全地带。
- battle over something Residents are battling over plans for a new airport runway.居民正就建设一条新的机场跑道的计划而斗争。
- battle it out The two sides will battle it out in the final next week.双方将于下周决赛中决一胜负。
- battle + adv. It’s vital that we keep battling away at the problem.我们必须不断解决这个问题，这一点至关重要。
- battle to do something Doctors battled to keep her alive.医生们奋力挽救她的生命。
- I had to battle hard just to stay afloat.我得用力挣扎才能勉强浮住。
- battle something He battled cancer for four years.他同癌症斗争了四年。
Extra Examples
- The players have battled hard.运动员拼得很辛苦。
- Doctors battled in vain to save his life.医生们奋力挽救他的生命，但没有成功。
- He battled with cancer for many months.他与癌症斗争了好多个月。
- Riot police battled with 4 000 students.防暴警察与 4,000 名学生展开了一场搏斗。
- Rescuers battled against torrential rain and high winds.救援人员奋力抵御急风暴雨。
- The child battled bravely for her life.这个小女孩为了活下去而勇敢地抗争。
- The victims are battling for compensation.受害者正在争取赔偿。
- There are players from eight countries battling for the title.来自八个国家的选手将争夺冠军头衔。
- Unions are battling with the company over the job losses.工会正就职位削减问题同那家公司进行斗争。
- Competitors battled it out against the clock.参赛选手为了夺取胜利而争分夺秒。
- We battled through the snowstorm.我们在暴风雪中挣扎。
- We'll keep battling away and hope that the goals start to come.我们将不断地斗争，希望能接近目标。
- He battled his way to the bar.他费力地走向吧台。
Topics Successb2, Difficulty and failureb2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- ferociously
- fiercely
- hard
- …
preposition
- against
- for
- over
- …
phrases
- battle it out
- battle your way
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia ‘military or gladiatorial exercises’, from Latin battuere ‘to beat’.