War between the States
- noun
- /wɔr bɪˈtwin ðə steɪts/
- US
:
Guerra entre los Estados
- The history class focused on the war between the States and its impact on American society.
Examples
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Many books have been written about the causes and consequences of the war between the States.
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In his novel, the author vividly describes the battles fought during the war between the States.
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So before the war between the states, the central government existed by user fees.
Synonyms
7
3.0
A war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between the North and South over slavery and states' rights
A war in the United States from 1861 to 1865 between the Northern and Southern states
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase's parts clearly compose to the literal meaning 'a war between states', so a B1 learner who knows the words will grasp it refers to a conflict involving states. However, the fixed use as a conventional proper name for the American Civil War (historical/cultural reference) is not derivable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires extra background knowledge.
Etymology
War between the States comes from the simple image of U.S. states fighting each other in the 1860s, and people in the South used it to stress the fight was 'between' states rather than a rebellion against the whole nation. That's why the phrase is a regional or older way to mean the American Civil War.