ar ‧ my S1 W1 /ˈɑːmi $ ˈɑːr-/ BrE AmE noun ( plural armies )
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: armee , from Medieval Latin armata ; ⇨ ↑ armada ]
1 . the army [ also + plural verb British English ] the part of a country’s military force that is trained to fight on land in a war:
The army are helping to clear up after the floods.
an army officer
Army units launched attacks on bases near Jounieh port.
He joined the army when he was 17.
in the army
Both my sons are in the army.
2 . [countable] a large organized group of people trained to fight on land in a war:
Rebel armies have taken control of the radio station.
raise an army (=collect together and organize an army to fight a battle)
The Slovenians say they can raise an army of 20,000 men.
3 . [countable] a large number of people involved in the same activity
army of
The village hall is maintained by an army of volunteers.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ join the army
At 18, I decided to join the army.
▪ go into the army
When Dan left school, he went into the army.
▪ serve in the army
He had served in the Indian army.
▪ leave the army
Why did you leave the army?
▪ be discharged/dismissed from the army
He developed epilepsy, a condition which led to him being discharged from the army.
■ adjectives
▪ the British/French/Polish etc army
a soldier in the Spanish army
▪ a regular/standing army (=permanent and existing whether there is a war or not)
The regular army has about 5,000 troops.
▪ an invading army
The towns were looted by the invading army.
▪ an occupying army (=one that is in a foreign country which they control by force)
There was constant resistance to the occupying army.
▪ a victorious army
Two days later, the victorious German army entered Paris.
▪ a defeated army
The survivors of his defeated army settled in Provence.
▪ an advancing army (=moving forward in order to attack)
The advancing Roman army was almost upon them.
▪ a retreating army (=moving away after being defeated)
Washington's troops pursued the retreating British army.
■ army + NOUN
▪ an army base/camp
the local army base
▪ an army unit
The town was surrounded by army units.
▪ an army officer
Both daughters married army officers.
▪ an army recruit
The army recruits must undergo basic training.
■ phrases
▪ be in command of the army
He had gained respect and was placed in command of the army.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ the army the part of a country's military force that is trained to fight on land:
Her son joined the army in 2002.
|
an army commander
▪ the armed forces ( also the military especially American English , the services British English , the service American English ) the army, navy, and air force:
He served in the armed forces for many years.
|
Riley joined the military after graduating from high school.
■ people in an army
▪ soldier someone who is in the army, especially someone who is not an officer:
Three soldiers were killed in an hour-long gun battle.
▪ troops soldiers, especially those who are taking part in a military attack:
The government sent more troops to Iraq.
▪ serviceman/servicewoman a man or woman who is in the army, air force, or navy:
The hospital treats injured servicemen and women.
▪ officer a high-ranking member of the army, air force, or navy who is in charge of a group of soldiers, sailors etc:
an army officer
■ join the army
▪ join up British English , enlist American English to join the army:
He joined up when he was 18.
▪ be called up British English , be drafted American English to be ordered to serve in the army by the government:
He was drafted into the US army in 1943.
|
Reserve soldiers were being called up.
▪ conscription ( also the draft American English ) a government policy of ordering people to serve in the army:
Conscription was introduced in 1916.
|
He had left the country to avoid the draft.