embattled en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ɛmˈbætl̩d/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (General-American) audio
- /ɛmˈbæt(ə)ld/ (General-American)
- [-ɾ(ə)ld] (General-American)
- /ɪm-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ɪm-/ (General-American)
Etymology
From embattle (“to equip as for battle”) + -ed.
Meanings
-
Armed or prepared for battle (literally or figuratively).
O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers, / That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr / Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds / Fearleſs, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King; […]
1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 128–131:I fight vvith Hector and his hoſt, alone, / Left, hemm'd around by multitudes, I fall; / For Hector, by his vvhole imbattled force / Attended, comes.
1791, Homer, “[The Iliad.] Book XVII.”, in W[illiam] Cowper, transl., The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer, Translated into Blank Verse, […], volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], →OCLC, page 454, lines 114–117:If you knevv hovv ſtrong and full of ſtratagems the diuel vvere, vvith hovve many Legions of luſtfull deſires he commeth embattailed againſt you: vvhat ſecrete ambuſhes of temptations he hath layde to intrappe you, then vvoulde you gather your ſelues into one bodie to reſiſt him: […]
1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 8, verso:[T]he imperial city stood released / From bondage threatened by the embattled East, […]
1816 February 4 (date written), William Wordsworth, “[Miscellaneous Pieces, […].] Sonnet [February 1816].”, in Thanksgiving Ode, January 18, 1816. With Other Short Pieces, […], London: […] Thomas Davison, […]; for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], published 1816, →OCLC, page 37:[Christoph] Meiners has gone so far as to suppose a real confederacy to have been formed […] to overthrow, by means of this controversy, the embattled legions of ignorance.
1837–1839, Henry Hallam, “On the Literature of Europe from 1500 to 1520”, in Introduction to the Literature of Europe, in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, paragraph 53, page 408:
-
Of a place: occupied or surrounded by armed troops (also figuratively).
The Element euery night vvas embattailed vvith Armed men, skyrmiſhing and conflicting amongſt themeſlues; and the imperiall Eagles of Rome, vvere plainly there diſplayed to all mens ſight.
1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 28, recto:
-
Of a place: strengthened so as to withstand attacks; fortified.
[N]o ſubject can build a caſtle, or houſe of ſtrength imbatteled, or other fortreſs defenſible, vvithout the licence of the king; for the danger vvhich might enſue, if every man at his pleaſure might do it.
1765, William Blackstone, “Of the King’s Prerogative”, in Commentaries on the Laws of England, book I (Of the Rights of Persons), Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 255:
-
(figuratively) Subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure.
Now finding herself under rapid and accurate fire from the Alabama and Washington, Nagato is embattled, whilst Yamato has to switch to partially engage Iowa.
2021 May 5, Drachinifel [pseudonym], 31:57 from the start, in Battle of Samar – What if TF34 [Task Force 34] was There?, via YouTube, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2022:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more embattled | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most embattled | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
Translations (19)
nl omsingeld (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · fr contesté (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · mk бо́рбен (armed or prepared for battle) · sv omstridd (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · fr encerclé (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · fi valmiina taisteluun (armed or prepared for battle) · fr armé (armed or prepared for battle) · mk воо́ружен (armed or prepared for battle) · nl bewapend (armed or prepared for battle) · nl gevechtsklaar (armed or prepared for battle) · fi uhattu (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · nl omstreden (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · fi aseistautunut (armed or prepared for battle) · de umkämpft (subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure) · fi miehitetty (of a place: occupied or surrounded by armed troops) · ro înarmați (armed or prepared for battle) · fi taisteluvalmis (armed or prepared for battle) · fi piiritetty (of a place: occupied or surrounded by armed troops) · fr prêt pour la bataille (armed or prepared for battle)