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Glite Dictionary
to embattle

to embattle

1 9.2
To prepare a place or group to fight and defend against attack
  • verb
  • /ɪmˈbætəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fortificar
  • Before the storm arrived, the town needed to embattle its coastal barriers to protect citizens.

Examples

  • Embattled countries that find themselves low on munitions, training, or able-bodied soldiers can simply go on the international marketplace and buy what they need to keep fighting.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Political and military leaders, who are often embattled remnants of the old authoritarian order, realize that to succeed, they must rally the masses behind a national cause.

    Academic text (1997)

  • In 1980, Mrs. Gandhi again won the parliamentary elections and came back to power, but now more than ever, her government had a feeling of being embattled, of presiding over a system that was falling apart.

    Academic text (1996)

  • A U.S. Marine sergeant points directions to a group of newly arrived replacement soldiers atop embattled Hill 881, below the demilitarized zone near the Laotian border, South Vietnam, in May 1967.

    Blog text (27)

  • The cardinal doctrine that the SADF developed became known as the total strategy and was based on the perception of an encircled, embattled South Africa waging war to preserve the South African way of life against a Soviet bloc-inspired onslaught.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The soldiers were trained to embattle the fort before the impending invasion.

  • They worked hard to embattle their defenses against possible attacks from the enemy.

Synonyms

to fortify
vsto embattle
39 6.2

Make a place or group stronger by building defenses

prepares specifically for battle rather than only general strengthening
to build up
vsto embattle
  • Specialized
23 5.7

Make soldiers and weapons stronger before a fight

focuses on fortifying places or groups rather than raising strength
to entrench
vsto embattle
  • Specialized
6 7.2

To put soldiers in a protected position behind earth or sandbags

prepares more broadly not just fixing into dug protection
to fort
vsto embattle
  • Archaic
9.6

To hide in a strong place to stay safe

emphasizes readying forces and places for combat rather than just sheltering
to fort up
vsto embattle
  • Archaic
8.2

Gather inside a building to stay safe from danger

is about broad battle preparation not only grouping for shelter

How Prepared

to embattle
  • Specialized
1 9.2
to entrench
  • Specialized
6 7.2
to fortify
39 6.2
to deploy
371 5.6
to marshal
20 4.6

Surface Forms

embattle infinitive
embattled past
embattled past participle
embattling present participle
embattles third person singular

Morphology

embattle = battle (transparent) = em + battle

Formed by the productive prefix 'em-' (cause to / put into) plus the word 'battle', so the meaning 'put/prepare for battle' is directly derivable.

Etymology

The word embattle comes from the prefix em-, meaning 'in' or 'to make', plus the familiar word battle. So, to embattle is to 'put into battle' — to arrange troops or strengthen a place to get ready for fighting.