war
(wôr)
[Middle English warre, from Old North French werre, of Germanic origin.]
noun
- A state of open, armed, often prolonged conflict carried on between nations, states, or parties.
- The period of such conflict.
- The techniques and procedures of war; military science.
- A condition of active antagonism or contention: a war of words; a price war.
- A concerted effort or campaign to combat or put an end to something considered injurious: the war against acid rain.
intransitive verb: warred, war·ring, wars.
- To wage or carry on warfare.
- To be in a state of hostility or rivalry; contend.
idioms
- at war
- In an active state of conflict or contention.