Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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Definition
war noun
/wɔːr/
/wɔːr/ n [C or U]
/wɔːr/ n [C or U] •
armed fighting between two or more countries or groups, or a particular example of this
nuclear war
a war film/grave/hero/poet
If this country goes to (= starts to fight in a) war we will have to face the fact that many people will die.
Britain and France declared war on Germany in 1939 as a result of the invasion of Poland.
War broke out between the two countries after a border dispute.
They've been at war for the last five years.
He died in World War 1/the Vietnam war.
war of attrition
a war which is fought over a long period and only ends when one side has neither the soldiers and equipment nor the determination left to continue fighting
war of nerves
a situation, often before a competition or battle, in which two opposing sides attempt to frighten or discourage each other by making threats or by showing how strong or clever they are
•
any situation in which there is strong competition between opposing sides or a great fight against something harmful
The past few months have witnessed a price war between leading supermarkets.
The government are to step up their attempt to wage war against/on drugs.
(Definition of war noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
