war S2 W1 / wɔ $ wɔr / 名词
1 [可数和不可数名词] when there is fighting between two or more countries or between opposing groups within a country, involving large numbers of soldiers and weapons 反义词 peace :
the Vietnam War
He served as a pilot during the war.
war against/with/between
the war with Spain
2 [可数和不可数名词] a struggle over a long period of time to control something harmful
war on/against
the State’s war on drugs
the war against racism
3 [可数和不可数名词] a situation in which a person or group is fighting for power, influence, or control :
No one wants to start a trade war here.
a ratings war between the major TV networks → price war
4 be in the wars British English spoken used, often humorously, to say that someone has lots of injuries or health problems :
You’ve really been in the wars lately, haven’t you?
5 this means war spoken used humorously to say that you are ready to fight or argue about something
→ cold war , war of attrition , war of nerves , war of words , warring
COLLOCATIONS
动词
fight a war The two countries fought a brief war in 1995.
fight in a war (= take part as a soldier ) Her grandfather fought in the war.
win/lose a war The Allies had won the war. | What would have happened if we’d lost the war?
declare war In 1941, Britain and the US declared war on Japan.
wage/make war (= to start and continue a war ) Their aim was to destroy the country’s capacity to wage war.
go to war (= become involved in a war ) It has been said that democracies don’t go to war with each other.
war breaks out (= it starts ) They married just before war broke out.
a war rages (= continues in a very violent way ) A civil war is still raging there.
短语
be at war Russia was at war with Poland.
be on the brink of war (= be about to be involved in a war ) The country was on the brink of war.
the outbreak of war (= the time when a war starts ) A week after the outbreak of war, he enlisted in the army.
the horrors of war They wanted to forget the horrors of war they had witnessed.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + war
a world war No one wants another world war.
a civil war (= between opposing groups within a country ) the English Civil War
a nuclear war (= involving nuclear weapons ) The possibility of nuclear war was much on people’s minds in the Fifties.
a conventional war (= not nuclear ) A conventional war would still cause unacceptable devastation.
a guerrilla war (= involving a small unofficial military group ) The nine-year guerrilla war has ended at last.
the Korean/Vietnam/Iraq etc War People were protesting against the Vietnam War.
World War I/World War II He was a pilot in World War II.
a just war (= one that you believe is right ) They believe that they are fighting a just war.
a religious war How many people have died in religious wars?
war + NOUN
the war years The couple spent most of the war years apart.
a war hero At home he was hailed as a war hero.
a war veteran (= someone who took part in a war ) There was a service for war veterans in the Garden of Remembrance.
a war criminal (= someone who behaves very cruelly in a war, in a way that is against international law ) the arrest of two suspected Nazi war criminals
a war correspondent (= a reporter sending reports from a war ) Being a war correspondent is a dangerous job.
a war zone (= an area where a war is fought ) The country had turned into a war zone.
a war crime (= a cruel act in a war which is against international law ) They will be charged with war crimes.
a war wound He still suffered pain from an old war wound.
a war grave He had gone with a friend to visit the war graves in Flanders.
COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say ’ do the war ‘. Say go to war or make war .
THESAURUS
war 名词 [可数和不可数名词] a situation in which there is fighting between countries or opposing groups within a country, with large numbers of soldiers and weapons : He fought in World War II. | the horrors of war
conflict 名词 [可数和不可数名词] a situation in which there is fighting or a war – used especially in news reports : the conflict in the Middle East | There is increasing danger of armed conflict.
fighting 名词 [不可数名词] a situation in which people or groups fight each other and try to kill each other : The fighting went on for months. | Fighting in the north has resulted in hundreds of deaths.
hostilities 名词 [复数形式] formal fighting in a war : The agreement called on the guerrillas to cease hostilities (= stop fighting ) and begin peace talks.
warfare 名词 [不可数名词] the activity of fighting in a war – used especially to talk about a method of fighting : new and more advanced methods of warfare | chemical warfare
battle 名词 [可数和不可数名词] an occasion when two armies, groups of ships etc fight each other in one place during a war : the great naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars | the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 | He died in battle.
skirmish / skɜmɪʃ $ skɜr- / 名词 [可数名词] a short fight between small groups of soldiers, ships etc, especially one that happens away from the main part of a war or battle : There were minor skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops across the border.
combat 名词 [不可数名词] the act of fighting, especially during a war : Few of them had any experience of combat. | hand-to-hand combat
action 名词 [不可数名词] military actions carried out by the army, navy etc of a country during a war – used especially in the following 短语 : He was killed in action in 1944. | Her son went missing in action . | Her grandfather saw action (= fought ) in two world wars.