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embattled

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 24 February 2023

Pronunciation

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An embattled wall (etymology 2, sense 1) of the Genoese fortress in Sudak, Crimea.
A heraldic escutcheon or shield divided per fess embattled (etymology 2, sense 2).

Etymology 1

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From embattle (“to equip as for battle”) +‎ -ed.[1]

Adjective

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embattled (comparative more embattled, superlative most embattled)

  1. Armed or prepared for battle (literally or figuratively).
    • 1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 8, verso:
      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: […]
    • 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:
      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; […]
    • 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:
      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.
    • 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:
      [T]he imperial city stood released / From bondage threatened by the embattled East, […]
    • 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 (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, paragraph 53, page 408:
      [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.
  2. Of a place: occupied or surrounded by armed troops (also figuratively).
    • 1593, Tho[mas] Nashe, Christs Teares Over Ierusalem. […], London: […] Iames Roberts, and are to be solde by Andrewe Wise, […], →OCLC, folio 28, recto:
      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.
  3. Of a place: strengthened so as to withstand attacks; fortified.
  4. (figuratively) Subject to or troubled by attacks, controversy, or pressure.
    Synonyms: assailed, threatened
    • 2021 May 5, Drachinifel [pseudonym], 31:57 from the start, in Battle of Samar – What if TF34 [Task Force 34] was There?‎[1], via YouTube, archived from the original on 8 August 2022:
      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.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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embattled

  1. simple past and past participle of embattle

Etymology 2

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From embattle (“to furnish with battlements”) +‎ -ed.[2]

Adjective

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embattled (comparative more embattled, superlative most embattled)

  2. (architecture) Of a fortress or other building, a wall, etc.: having battlements or crenellations; battlemented, crenellated.
    • 1850, Edwin Clark, “The Masonry and Scaffolding”, in The Britannia and Conway Tubular Bridges. […], volume II, London: […] Day and Son, […]; and John Weale, […], →OCLC, section VI (Details of Construction of the Bridges), page 534:
      The lofty towers of the Castle overhang the western approach to the Bridge, and the line passes into Conway through an opening pierced in the embattled wall, which entirely surrounds the town. These fortifications are in good preservation, and rank among the most perfect examples of the strongholds of the thirteenth century.
  4. (by extension, heraldry) Having an upper edge or outline of alternating square indentations and extensions like battlements, unless the embattled item is a pale, cross or saltire, in which case it has the crenelations on all sides.
    Synonym: crénelé
    Coordinate term: counterembattled
    • 1724, John Guillim, chapter II, in A Display of Heraldry. […], 6th edition, London: […] T. W. for R. and J. Bonwicke and R. Wilkin, […] [a]nd J. Walthoe and Tho[mas] Ward, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Honor Civil), [part I […]], page 87, column 1:
      Argent, a Feſs embattled and tvvo Eſtoils in Chief, Sable, is born by the Name of Tvvyne, and vvas atteſted to belong (and vvas confirm'd) to Tvvyne of Preſton in the County of Lancaſter, Eſquire, […]
    • 1765, Mark Anthony Porny [pseudonym; Antoine Pyron du Martre], “Of Common Charges Born in Coats-of-arms. Article II. Of Artificial Figures Born in Coats-of-arms.”, in The Elements of Heraldry, […], London: […] J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, pages 147–148:
      All theſe bearings have different Epithets, ſerving either to expreſs their Poſition, Diſpoſition, or Make, viz. […] Tovvers covered, embattled, &c. […]
    • 1852, J[ames] R[obinson] Planché, “Subordinate Ordinaries”, in The Pursuivant of Arms, or Heraldry Founded upon Facts, London: W. N. Wright, […], →OCLC, page 60:
      There are but three irregular lines mentioned in Glover's Roll, viz: 1. Undée (ondée) or wavy, 2. Engrailed, and 3. Indented or Dancettée. Later heralds have added three more: Invecked (the exact converse of Engrailed), Nebulée, and Embattled.
Translations
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Verb

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embattled

  1. simple past and past participle of embattle

References

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  1. ^ “embattled, adj.1”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2022; “embattled, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  2. ^ “embattled, adj.2”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2022; “embattled, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading

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