war

I. noun Usage: often attributive Etymology: Middle English werre, from Anglo-French werre, guerre, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German werra strife; akin to Old High German werran to confuse Date: 12th century 1. a. (1) a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations (2) a period of such armed conflict (3) state of war b. the art or science of warfare c. (1) obsolete weapons and equipment for war (2) archaic soldiers armed and equipped for war 2. a. a state of hostility, conflict, or antagonism b. a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end <

a class war

> <

a war against disease

> c. variance, odds 3 • warless adjective II. intransitive verb (warred; warring) Date: 13th century 1. to be in active or vigorous conflict 2. to engage in warfare III. adverb or adjective Etymology: Middle English werre, from Old Norse verri, adjective, verr, adverb; akin to Old English wiersa worse — more at worse Date: 13th century chiefly Scottish worse IV. transitive verb (warred; warring) Date: 15th century Scottish worst, overcome