Battle of the Somme
1
7.2
- noun
:
Batalla del Somme
- The Battle of the Somme was one of the bloodiest confrontations in World War I, resulting in over a million casualties.
- Battle of the Somme in 1916
Then came the Battle of the Somme and Hague planned for the breakthrough, the decisive battle.
- Then came the Battle of the Somme and Hague planned for the breakthrough, the decisive battle.
- I mean, is it right to say that the Battle of Verdun was worse or better than the Battle of the Somme?
Examples
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As if the draft was not enough, 1916 also saw the Battle of the Somme and the Battle at Verdun, two of the most costly battles of the war.
Academic text (2002) -
In Protestant areas, memorials to Britain's horrific losses at the 1916 Battle of the Somme are common because Protestant volunteers from Ulster took some of the heaviest casualties.
Academic text (2011) -
I was left for dead during the Battle of the Somme.
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But to those who fought it and those at home, the Battle of the Somme was seen as a success.
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First, Chris is a British soldier in World War I who has been wounded, possibly in the Battle of the Somme.
Academic text (2017) -
Peronne was the German headquarters during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.
Academic text (2001) -
His experience of concussion and shell shock after the Battle of the Somme changed him utterly and provided the basis for his best work afterwards.
Blog text (3) -
Tourism mattered to him, but so did the memory of his father, an ancien combattant of the Battle of the Somme who had returned from the war a troubled man.
Academic text (2001) -
Many historians believe that the tactics used during the Battle of the Somme significantly influenced military strategies in subsequent battles.
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Commemorative events are held each year to honor those who fought in the Battle of the Somme and to remember their sacrifices.
Synonyms
3
9.8
A major 1916 World War I battle in northern France where many soldiers died
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is transparently built from 'battle' + 'of' + the place name 'Somme' and denotes a battle fought at/around the Somme; this compositional place-based naming is directly interpretable by learners who know the constituent words. Such 'Battle of X' constructions are cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who understands the parts will infer it refers to a specific, major military engagement (though they may not know historical details).
Etymology
Battle of the Somme comes from the Somme river in northern France, because the fighting took place there in 1916. The battle saw huge attacks and many soldiers died, so the name now often stands for 'a very large and bloody battle'.