Found 1 items, similar to To join battle.
English → English (gcide)
Definition: To join battle
Join
\Join\ (join), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Joined (joind); p. pr.
& vb. n.
Joining.] [OE. joinen, joignen, F. joindre, fr. L.
jungere to yoke, bind together, join; akin to jugum yoke. See
Yoke, and cf.
Conjugal,
Junction,
Junta.]
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1. To bring together, literally or figuratively; to place in
contact; to connect; to couple; to unite; to combine; to
associate; to add; to append.
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Woe unto them that join house to house. --Is. v. 8.
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Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn
Like twenty torches joined. --Shak.
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Thy tuneful voice with numbers join. --Dryden.
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2. To associate one's self to; to be or become connected
with; to league one's self with; to unite with; as, to
join a party; to join the church.
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We jointly now to join no other head. --Dryden.
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3. To unite in marriage.
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He that joineth his virgin in matrimony. --Wyclif.
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What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not
man put asunder. --Matt. xix.
6.
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4. To enjoin upon; to command. [Obs. & R.]
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They join them penance, as they call it. --Tyndale.
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5. To accept, or engage in, as a contest; as, to join
encounter, battle, issue. --Milton.
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6. To meet with and accompany; as, we joined them at the
restaurant.
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7. To combine with (another person) in performing some
activity; as, join me in welcoming our new president.
[PJC]
To join battle,
To join issue. See under
Battle,
Issue.
Syn: To add; annex; unite; connect; combine; consociate;
couple; link; append. See
Add.
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Battle
\Bat"tle\, n. [OE. bataille, bataile, F. bataille battle,
OF., battle, battalion, fr. L. battalia, battualia, the
fighting and fencing exercises of soldiers and gladiators,
fr. batuere to strike, beat. Cf.
Battalia, 1st
Battel,
and see
Batter, v. t. ]
1. A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the
divisions of an army are or may be engaged; an engagement;
a combat.
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2. A struggle; a contest; as, the battle of life.
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The whole intellectual battle that had at its center
the best poem of the best poet of that day. --H.
Morley.
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3. A division of an army; a battalion. [Obs.]
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The king divided his army into three battles.
--Bacon.
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The cavalry, by way of distinction, was called the
battle, and on it alone depended the fate of every
action. --Robertson.
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4. The main body, as distinct from the van and rear;
battalia. [Obs.] --Hayward.
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Note: Battle is used adjectively or as the first part of a
self-explaining compound; as, battle brand, a
“brand”
or sword used in battle; battle cry; battlefield;
battle ground; battle array; battle song.
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Battle piece, a painting, or a musical composition,
representing a battle.
Battle royal.
(a) A fight between several gamecocks, where the one that
stands longest is the victor. --Grose.
(b) A contest with fists or cudgels in which more than two
are engaged; a m[^e]l['e]e. --Thackeray.
Drawn battle, one in which neither party gains the victory.
To give battle, to attack an enemy.
To join battle, to meet the attack; to engage in battle.
Pitched battle, one in which the armies are previously
drawn up in form, with a regular disposition of the
forces.
Wager of battle. See under
Wager, n.
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Syn: Conflict; encounter; contest; action.
Usage:
Battle,
Combat,
Fight,
Engagement. These words
agree in denoting a close encounter between contending
parties. Fight is a word of less dignity than the
others. Except in poetry, it is more naturally applied
to the encounter of a few individuals, and more
commonly an accidental one; as, a street fight. A
combat is a close encounter, whether between few or
many, and is usually premeditated. A battle is
commonly more general and prolonged. An engagement
supposes large numbers on each side, engaged or
intermingled in the conflict.
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