Battle of Wake
1
8.2
- noun
:
Batalla de Wake
- The Battle of Wake showcased the bravery of the U.S. Marines defending the island.
Examples
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After intense fighting, the Japanese forces captured Wake Island during the Battle of Wake.
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The Battle of Wake Island.
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In December 1941, the Battle of Wake marked a significant event in World War II.
Synonyms
1
8.6
A battle in December 1941 where Japan captured Wake Island after American marines fought hard
How Significant
Surface Forms
Morphology
battle + of + Wake
The phrase follows the regular and cross-linguistic pattern 'Battle of X' where 'battle' (a large armed fight) plus the preposition 'of' marks the location or involved party; 'Wake' is a proper noun naming the place. Even if a learner does not know the specific place 'Wake', the structure makes it clear this refers to a battle involving Wake Island, so the meaning is directly derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Battle of Wake is the name for the fight on Wake Island in December 1941, when a small group of U.S. Marines tried to defend the tiny island against a much larger Japanese force. That's why the term refers to that specific World War II battle and is remembered for the defenders' bravery.