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Collocations for battle - noun

1. between armies

ADJ.

bloody, fierce | pitched
The two armies fought a pitched battle on the plain.
decisive | great, important, major | famous, historic | land, naval, sea

VERB + BATTLE

fight (in) | win | lose | do, give, go into, join
Charles V refused to give battle. | The two armies joined battle.
send sb into
Many young men were sent into battle without proper training.

BATTLE + VERB

begin, take place | rage | continue | be over, end

PREP.

at a/the ~
Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.
in (a/the) ~
He died in battle.

2. violent fight between two groups

ADJ.

fierce | pitched | running | gun

VERB + BATTLE

fight

PREP.

~ against
Police fought a pitched battle against demonstrators.
~ between
a gun battle between police and drug smugglers
~ with
Scores of people have been hurt in running battles with police.

3. struggle

ADJ.

bitter, fierce | real
There''s now a real battle at the top of the First Division.
constant, continuing, long, long-running, ongoing, prolonged | losing, uphill
We seem to be fighting a losing battle.
successful | court, legal

VERB + BATTLE

be engaged in, do, fight
Are you prepared to do battle with your insurance company over the claim?
face | win | lose

BATTLE + VERB

begin | be over, end

PREP.

~ against
his long battle against cancer
~ between
a fierce battle between developers and the local community
~ for
the battle for human rights
~ over
The government now faces a new battle over tax increases.
~ with
They are engaged in a long-running legal battle with their neighbours.

PHRASES

a battle of ideas/words, a battle of wills/wits, a battle royal
(= a major battle in which all available forces take part),
fight your own battles
My parents believed in leaving me to fight my own battles.

Collocations for battle - verb

ADV.

hard | bravely
The child battled bravely for her life.
in vain
Doctors battled in vain to save his life.
constantly | away
We''ll keep battling away and hope that the goals start to come.

PREP.

against
Rescuers battled against torrential rain and high winds.
for
battling for control of the party
over
Residents are battling over plans for a new supermarket.
through
We battled through the snowstorm.
with
Riot police battled with 4,000 students. | battling with leukaemia

PHRASES

battle it out
Competitors battled it out against the clock.
battle your way
He battled his way to the bar.

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