plural battles
1
: a hostile encounter between opposing military forces
the battle of Normandy
soldiers who fell in battle
—sometimes used before another nounbattle gear
2
: a usually lengthy contest, struggle, or controversy
a child custody battle
legal battles
… Detective Madison spends the film locked in a battle of wits with a criminal who always manages to stay one step ahead of him.—Brad Sanders
3
: a struggle to succeed or survive
her battle with cancer
… I came home and faced an uphill battle to gain support for the treaty in the U.S. Senate.—Al Gore
4
: a combat between two persons
specifically, history
: the combat by which disputes were legally decided
In spite of the appeal of trial by battle to the imagination and plotlines of Victorian novels and Hollywood films, it was an uncommon event. —Norman F. Cantor
5
archaic
: battalion
battled; battling
ˈbat-liŋ,
ˈba-tᵊl-iŋ
; battles
1
2
: to contend with full strength, vigor, skill, or resources : struggle
They battled to keep their son out of jail.
battling over how to spend the money
1
: to fight or struggle against
battling cancer
two teams set to battle each other for the championship
battling it out in the courtroom
2
: to force, thrust, or drive by battling
battling his way through the crowd
battler
noun
ˈbat-lər
ˈba-tᵊl-ər
plural battlers
… will no doubt continue to be the Senate's boldest battler for … justice …
—John Nichols
… a player who sweats: a fighter, a battler, a tireless worker who never stops.
—Sam Borden
battled; battling; battles
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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