war

1. 1

   Organized, large-scale, armed conflict between countries or between national, ethnic, or other sizeable groups, usually but not always involving active engagement of military forces.uncountable

   • War is merely the continuation of policy by other means; War is hell
   • War is indeed a fearful thing and the more I see it the more dreadful it appears.
2. 2

   A particular conflict of this kind.countable

   • a war of succession... a war of attrition... the Cold War... World War III...
3. 3

   Protracted armed conflict against irregular forces, sometimes those considered terrorists.countableproscribedsometimes

   • Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.
   • ...These wars are not going away. This is at least a generational struggle.
4. 4

   Protracted state or state-sponsored political violence against dissidents.broadlycountableproscribed

   • the Dirty War...
5. 5

   Any protracted conflict, particularly; A sustained campaign against a social problem, idea, set of values, etc.USbroadlycountable

   • the War on Poverty... the War on Drugs... the War on Christmas...
6. 6

   Any protracted conflict, particularly; A protracted instance of fierce competition in trade.broadlycountableuncountable

   • price wars... Cola Wars... format wars...
7. 7

   Any protracted conflict, particularly; A protracted struggle between rival organizations for control of a particular institution.broadlycountableuncountable

   • FISA–FOCA war...
8. 8

   Any protracted conflict, particularly; A prolonged conflict between two groups of organized criminals, usually over organizational or territorial control.broadlycountableuncountable

   • turf war... gang war... Castellammarese War...
9. 9

   Any protracted conflict, particularly; An argument between two or more people with opposing opinions on a topic or issue.Internetbroadlycountable

   • flame war... edit war...
10. 10

    An assembly of weapons; instruments of war.obsoleteuncountable

    • The God of Love himſelf inhabits there, With all his rage, and dread, and grief, and care, His complement of ſtores, and total war...

ant. peace

1. 1

   To engage in conflict (may be followed by "with" to specify the foe).intransitive

   • And they warred against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses, and they slew all the males
2. 2

   To carry on, as a contest; to wage.transitive

   • […], that thou by them mighteſt warre a good warfare,[…].
   • By God, that man does war honour.

syn. fight · go to war · wage war · warray