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Glite Dictionary
to join battle

to join battle

3 7.3
To take part in a fight or argument
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : unirse a la batalla
  • They joined battle in the vale of Siddim.

And I would just urge people who want to join this battle to join the Free Speech Union and help us wage that battle.

Examples

  • 30 Also, the Carmanians raging in wrath shall go forth as the wild boars of the wood, and with great power shall they come, and join battle with them, and shall waste a portion of the land of the Assyrians.

    Blog text (2)

  • The allies prepared to join battle against a common enemy.

  • And I would just urge people who want to join this battle to join the Free Speech Union and help us wage that battle.

    Triggernometry

  • Still, it felt sweet to have joined battle with Dicky and carried the field.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Eventually, we must join the battle to recapture the schools.

    Blog text (1)

  • Toc realizes that not one of his arrows has missed as he races to join battle with the skirmishers.

    Blog text (24)

  • A small, slight figure hastened to join the battle, and Larissa's white eyebrows rose in astonishment.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Entire departments may join the battle to maintain their standing as a good teaching department by insisting that the inflated ratings of other departments be normalized.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The soldiers were eager to join battle and defend their homeland.

  • Before the event escalated, both sides decided to join battle over their differences.

Synonyms

to fight
vsto join battle
∞ 1.0

To take part in a physical or verbal struggle against someone

is about entering a dispute by actively participating rather than any simple struggle
to battle
vsto join battle
372 2.7

To fight against someone or something for a long time

is about entering a dispute by taking part rather than stressing duration
to engage
vsto join battle
316 6.1

To take part in fighting against an enemy

is about actively joining a dispute rather than starting a formal campaign
to lock horns
vsto join battle
  • Informal
5 5.1

To argue strongly with someone about something

is about joining a dispute in general rather than a personal heated clash
to spar
vsto join battle
5 7.1

To argue in a friendly, quick way without serious anger

is about actively joining a dispute seriously rather than playfully debating
to cross swords
vsto join battle
  • Informal
5 6.8

Argue strongly with someone, often in public

is about entering a dispute by taking part rather than only a verbal exchange
to dive into the fray
vsto join battle
  • Informal
7.7

To join a noisy or angry argument and take part in it

is about joining a dispute by taking part rather than rushing in

Antonyms

retreat
93 4.4

A move back from a place to escape danger

to stay out of it
56 3.8

To avoid getting involved in an argument or fight

How Involved

to engage
316 6.1
to join battle
3 7.3
to stand back
159 1.6

Surface Forms

join infinitive
joined past
joined past participle
joining present participle
joins third person singular

Morphology

join + battle

The meaning 'to engage in a conflict or dispute' is directly and transparently built from 'join' (to take part in) + 'battle' (a fight or conflict); a learner who knows both words can infer joining/participating in a battle. Although the phrasing is somewhat formal or literary, the compositional logic is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so it should be understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Join battle comes from an image of soldiers who would join a battle by going onto the field to fight. So it now means 'to take part in a fight or strong argument'.