War

War War, n. [OE. & AS. werre; akin to OHG. werra scandal, quarrel, sedition, werran to confound, mix, D. warren, G. wirren, verwirren, to embroil, confound, disturb, and perhaps to E. worse; cf. OF. werre war, F. querre, of Teutonic origin. Cf. {Guerrilla}, {Warrior}.] [1913 Webster] 1. A contest between nations or states, carried on by force, whether for defence, for revenging insults and redressing wrongs, for the extension of commerce, for the acquisition of territory, for obtaining and establishing the superiority and dominion of one over the other, or for any other purpose; armed conflict of sovereign powers; declared and open hostilities. [1913 Webster]

Men will ever distinguish war from mere bloodshed. --F. W. Robertson. [1913 Webster]

Note: As war is the contest of nations or states, it always implies that such contest is authorized by the monarch or the sovereign power of the nation. A war begun by attacking another nation, is called an offensive war, and such attack is aggressive. War undertaken to repel invasion, or the attacks of an enemy, is called defensive. [1913 Webster]

2. (Law) A condition of belligerency to be maintained by physical force. In this sense, levying war against the sovereign authority is treason. [1913 Webster]

3. Instruments of war. [Poetic] [1913 Webster]

His complement of stores, and total war. --Prior. [1913 Webster]

4. Forces; army. [Poetic] [1913 Webster]

On their embattled ranks the waves return, And overwhelm their war. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. The profession of arms; the art of war. [1913 Webster]

Thou art but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth. --1 Sam. xvii. 33. [1913 Webster]

6. a state of opposition or contest; an act of opposition; an inimical contest, act, or action; enmity; hostility. ``Raised impious war in heaven.'' --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. --Ps. lv. 21. [1913 Webster]

{Civil war}, a war between different sections or parties of the same country or nation.

{Holy war}. See under {Holy}.

{Man of war}. (Naut.) See in the Vocabulary.

{Public war}, a war between independent sovereign states.

{War cry}, a cry or signal used in war; as, the Indian war cry.

{War dance}, a dance among savages preliminary to going to war. Among the North American Indians, it is begun by some distinguished chief, and whoever joins in it thereby enlists as one of the party engaged in a warlike excursion. --Schoolcraft.

{War field}, a field of war or battle.

{War horse}, a horse used in war; the horse of a cavalry soldier; especially, a strong, powerful, spirited horse for military service; a charger.

{War paint}, paint put on the face and other parts of the body by savages, as a token of going to war. ``Wash the war paint from your faces.'' --Longfellow.

{War song}, a song of or pertaining to war; especially, among the American Indians, a song at the war dance, full of incitements to military ardor.

{War whoop}, a war cry, especially that uttered by the American Indians. [1913 Webster]