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A struggle; a contest; as, the battle of life. The whole intellectual battle that had at its center the best poem of the best poet of that day. H. Morley.

The range within which the fire of small arms is very destructive. With the magazine rifle, this is six hundred yards.

thousand tons displacement, and intended to be fit to meet the heaviest ships in line of battle.

A kind of broadax formerly used as an offensive weapon.

Embattled. [Poetic] Tennyson.

parchment or crossed with catgut, used to strike a shuttlecock in play; also, the play of battledoor and shuttlecock.

One of the solid upright parts of a parapet in ancient fortifications.

Having battlements. A battlemented portal. Sir W. Scott.

A student at Oxford who is supplied with provisions from the buttery; formerly, one who paid for nothing but what he called for, answering nearly to a sizar at Cambridge. Wright.

To arrange in order of battle; to array for battle; also, to prepare or arm for battle; to equip as for battle. One in bright arms embattled full strong. Spenser. Here once the embattled farmers stood And fired the shot heard round the world. Emerson.

Having indentations like a battlement. [Obs.] Chaucer.

An intended parapet; a battlement.

Embattled. [Obs.]

Excessively fertile; bearing rank or noxious growths. [Obs.] "Overbattle grounds." Hooker.

al of transactions; a relation or narrative; a report; a description; as, an account of a battle. "A laudable account of the city of London." Howell.

r or conduct one's self; to perform one's part; as, the soldier acquitted himself well in battle; the orator acquitted himself very poorly.

An engagement between troops in war, whether on land or water; a battle; a fight; as, a general action, a partial action.

An action or engagement not of sufficient magnitude to be called a battle.

e, from the proclamation of liberty granted to the city of Antioch, about the time of the battle of Pharsalia, B.C. 48.

unknown; being in painful suspense; -- applied to persons; as, anxious for the issue of a battle.