Batting to Bayonet
Batting
(Bat"ting) n.
1. The act of one who bats; the management of a bat in playing games of ball. Mason.
2. Cotton in sheets, prepared for use in making quilts, etc.; as, cotton batting.
Battle
(Bat"tle) a. Fertile. See Battel, a. [Obs.]
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.
2. 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.
3. A division of an army; a battalion. [Obs.]
The king divided his army into three battles.
Bacon.
The cavalry, by way of distinction, was called the battle, and on it alone depended the fate of every
action.
Robertson.
4. The main body, as distinct from the van and rear; battalia. [Obs.] Hayward.
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.
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 mêlée. 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.
Syn. — Conflict; encounter; contest; action. 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.
Battle
(Bat"tle) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Battled (-tl'd); p. pr. & vb. n. Battling.] [F. batailler, fr. bataille.
See Battle, n.] To join in battle; to contend in fight; as, to battle over theories.
To meet in arms, and battle in the plain.
Prior.
Battle
(Bat"tle), v. t. To assail in battle; to fight.
Battle-ax
(Bat"tle-ax` Bat"tle-axe`) n. (Mil.) A kind of broadax formerly used as an offensive weapon.
Battled
(Bat"tled) p. p. Embattled. [Poetic] Tennyson.
