(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a period of fighting or conflict between countries or states.
He spent part of the ~ in the National Guard...
They’ve been at ~ for the last fifteen years.
? peace
N-VAR
2.
War is intense economic competition between countries or organizations.
The most important thing is to reach an agreement and to avoid a trade ~.
N-VAR: usu with supp
3.
If you make ~ on someone or something that you are opposed to, you do things to stop them succeeding.
She has been involved in the ~ against organised crime.
...if the United States is to be successful in its ~ on drugs.
N-VAR: oft N against/on n
4.
see also ~ring , civil ~ , Cold War , council of ~
5.
If a country goes to ~, it starts fighting a ~.
Do you think this crisis can be settled without going to ~?
PHRASE: V inflects
6.
If two people, countries, or organizations have a ~ of words, they criticize each other because they strongly disagree about something. (JOURNALISM)
Animal rights activists have been engaged in an increasingly bitter ~ of words with many of the nation’s zoos.
PHRASE: oft PHR between/with n
7.
to lose the battle but win the ~: see battle