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Definition of battle verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

battle

verb
 
 
/ˈbætl/
 
/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/
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  1. to try very hard to achieve something difficult or to deal with something unpleasant or dangerous
    • Both teams battled hard.
    • battle for something The two leaders are battling for control of the government.
    • battle with somebody/something She's still battling with a knee injury.
    • battle against somebody/something We had to battle against the elements to reach safety.
    • battle over something Residents are battling over plans for a new airport runway.
    • battle it out The two sides will battle it out in the final next week.
    • battle + adv. It’s vital that we keep battling away at the problem.
    • battle to do something Doctors battled to keep her alive.
    • I had to battle hard just to stay afloat.
    • battle something He battled cancer for four years.
    Extra Examples
    • The players have battled hard.
    • Doctors battled in vain to save his life.
    • He battled with cancer for many months.
    • Riot police battled with 4 000 students.
    • Rescuers battled against torrential rain and high winds.
    • The child battled bravely for her life.
    • The victims are battling for compensation.
    • There are players from eight countries battling for the title.
    • Unions are battling with the company over the job losses.
    • Competitors battled it out against the clock.
    • We battled through the snowstorm.
    • We'll keep battling away and hope that the goals start to come.
    • He battled his way to the bar.
    Topics Successb2, Difficulty and failureb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • ferociously
    • fiercely
    • hard
    • …
    preposition
    • against
    • for
    • over
    • …
    phrases
    • battle it out
    • battle your way
    See full entry
    Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French bataille (noun), bataillier (verb), based on late Latin battualia ‘military or gladiatorial exercises’, from Latin battuere ‘to beat’.
See battle in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee battle in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: battle

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adverb
 
 
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