Collocations for war - noun
ADJ.
long, short | bloody | all-out, full-scale, total
Six years of total war had left no citizen untouched.
Six years of total war had left no citizen untouched.
limited | holy, just | civil, global, world | air, guerrilla | atomic, nuclear | cold | economic, trade | price | class
VERB + WAR
be in, fight in
My grandfather fought in two world wars.
My grandfather fought in two world wars.
fight, make, wage
The two countries fought a short but bloody war. | The Spartans were persuaded to make war on Athens. | The terrorists were charged with waging war against the state.
The two countries fought a short but bloody war. | The Spartans were persuaded to make war on Athens. | The terrorists were charged with waging war against the state.
win | lose | declare | go to
The country went to war in 1914.
The country went to war in 1914.
avert, prevent | be ravaged by
WAR + VERB
approach, loom, threaten | begin, break out, come, erupt, start | escalate, spread
talks to prevent the war from escalating
talks to prevent the war from escalating
continue, drag on, go on, last, progress, rage (on)
The war raged for nearly two years.
The war raged for nearly two years.
come to an end, end
WAR + NOUN
years
the shortage of food during the war years
the shortage of food during the war years
hero, veteran | chief, leader | casualty, victim | damage | correspondent
the war correspondent of a daily newspaper
the war correspondent of a daily newspaper
artist, poet | zone | effort
Every available resource went towards the war effort.
Every available resource went towards the war effort.
record
Both candidates have distinguished war records.
Both candidates have distinguished war records.
wound | crime, criminal | graves, memorial | aims | damages, reparations | baby, bride, widow | booty | cry, dance | machine
the Soviet war machine
the Soviet war machine
PREP.
at ~
a country at war
a country at war
between the ~s
(= between the First and Second World Wars),
(= between the First and Second World Wars),
in (a/the) ~
killed in war He took part in the Vietnam War.
killed in war He took part in the Vietnam War.
~ against/with
the war against the French a war against drug abuse
the war against the French a war against drug abuse
~ between
war between Iran and Iraq
war between Iran and Iraq
~ on
The US declared war on Japan.
The US declared war on Japan.
~ with
a trade war with the United States
a trade war with the United States
PHRASES
the horrors of war
The country had just emerged from the horrors of civil war.
The country had just emerged from the horrors of civil war.
in a state of war, in time/times of war
In times of war, troops were billeted in the mill.
In times of war, troops were billeted in the mill.
on a war footing
The army had been placed on a war footing.
The army had been placed on a war footing.
the brink of war
The crisis took Europe to the brink of war.
The crisis took Europe to the brink of war.
the outbreak of war
At the outbreak of war, most children were evacuated to the countryside.
At the outbreak of war, most children were evacuated to the countryside.
a theatre of war
These aircraft are designed to take troops and weapons to any theatre of war in the shortest time possible.
These aircraft are designed to take troops and weapons to any theatre of war in the shortest time possible.
a war of attrition