combat1 nouncombat2 verb
combatcom‧bat1 /ˈkɒmbæt $ ˈkɑːm-/ ●●○ noun 
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The truce has not stopped combat in the civil war.
- Black has gone out with Doc Martens combat boots, and color has come in.
- In all, there are 15 combat missions involving both subs and surface vessels.
- Infantry, he added, deliberately placed themselves in positions where they would be engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
- Named after famous artillerymen, the larger firebases also served as the field camps for other combat units.
- Not only did these men share the hardships of combat, their very survival imbued many with a pre-disposition to paternalism.
- Safety cover was to be provided by combat support boats from the Support Squadron.
- She was actually in the combat zone now and she noted uneasily that once again she was placed firmly beside the count.
- The final version endorsed current Pentagon policy allowing women in combat in certain circumstances, a position endorsed by Dole.
THESAURUS
noun [countable, uncountable] a situation in which there is fighting between countries or opposing groups within a country, with large numbers of soldiers and weapons: · He fought in World War II.· the horrors of war
noun [countable, uncountable] a situation in which there is fighting or a war – used especially in news reports: · the conflict in the Middle East· There is increasing danger of armed conflict.
noun [uncountable] a situation in which people or groups fight each other and try to kill each other: · The fighting went on for months.· Fighting in the north has resulted in hundreds of deaths.
noun [plural] formal fighting in a war: · The agreement called on the guerrillas to cease hostilities (=stop fighting) and begin peace talks.
noun [uncountable] the activity of fighting in a war – used especially to talk about a method of fighting: · new and more advanced methods of warfare· chemical warfare
noun [countable, uncountable] an occasion when two armies, groups of ships etc fight each other in one place during a war: · the great naval battles of the Napoleonic Wars· the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805· He died in battle.
noun [countable] a short fight between small groups of soldiers, ships etc, especially one that happens away from the main part of a war or battle: · There were minor skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops across the border.
noun [uncountable] the act of fighting, especially during a war: · Few of them had any experience of combat.· hand-to-hand combat
noun [uncountable] military actions carried out by the army, navy etc of a country during a war – used especially in the following phrases: · He was killed in action in 1944.· Her son went missing in action.· Her grandfather saw action (=fought) in two world wars.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives
There was fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the streets of the city. They were defeated in hand-to-hand combat. the screams of men in mortal combat (=fighting until one person kills the other)
1[uncountable] fighting, especially during a warin combat (=in which you are close enough to touch your opponent)· Thousands of men were killed in hand-to-hand combat in less than 24 hours.
(=in which you are very near your opponent)· Swords and spears were used for close combat.
(=in which you and one other person fight together)· The champion called out a challenge to single combat.
(=without weapons)· They were trained in the techniques of unarmed combat.
(=until one opponent is killed)· an exciting computer game of mortal combat against giants and monsters
(=fighting in the air)· 30 enemy aircraft were destroyed in aerial combat.
verbs (=to be using all your effort and attention to fight each other)· Their troops were locked in combat.
formal (=to fight someone)· The president said he was aware of the danger to forces engaged in combat in the field.
combat + NOUN· US combat troops were in the streets of the capital yesterday.
· Very few combat aircraft have been destroyed.
· Armoured combat vehicles appeared on the streets of the city.
(=an area where there is fighting)· refugees from the combat zone
· He flew 280 combat missions in two wars.
(=clothes worn in battles by the armed forces)· a group of soldiers in combat gear
(=trousers worn in battles by the armed forces)· He was still dressed in combat fatigues and jungle boots.
· The troops were issued with steel helmets and combat boots.
(=the state of being ready to fight)· Troops had been flown in and were in combat readiness.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES· There are a number of ways in which the public can help the police to fight crime.
· Joan swore to fight evil in all its forms.
There was fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the streets of the city. They were defeated in hand-to-hand combat.· A new drug is being developed to combat the infection.
· An economic plan to combat inflation was drawn up.
the screams of men in mortal combat (=fighting until one person kills the other) (=try to deal with it)· Governments must tackle pollution now.
(=take action to get rid of poverty)· The money should be spent on fighting poverty.
· We will provide the necessary resources to combat terrorism.
· We must work together to counter the threat of state terrorism.
· Heavily-armed combat troops were deployed on the streets of the capital yesterday.
(=fighting without weapons)
· The government’s first priority is to combat unemployment.
· Planes were diverted to avoid flying over the war zone.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· This gives him an additional +1 attack in close combat.· This survey of personal experiences, ranging from close combat to literary society, constructs a memorable portrait of the last war.· This will get your cavalry into close combat and hopefully out of the hail of missiles fairly quickly.· Warriors fought with bows and arrows for long range and swords and spears for close combat.· Across the river and through the streets of Cliffe men fought in close combat before the royalists scattered.· Unfortunately, in close combat, the rule is straight forward and brutal: the more ranks you have the better.
· Helmeted, armed with long, spear-like boards, the surfers looked like gladiators going out to engage in mortal combat.· A few people close to their chairs amuse themselves by watching the others engage in mortal combat to secure a seat.
· But surely she owed her beloved that honour at least, the honour of single combat, which is a dragon's privilege.· Finally Turnus and Aeneas meet in single combat.· But that made no difference - he knew he stood no chance against the oriental in single combat.· Two of the enemy, mounted, appeared before them for single combat.· El Cid upholds his honour and that of his King by defeating an enemy champion in single combat.· In all armies there were officers who needed to prove their bravery by single combat.· It was Melwas who suggested single combat.· Urian Poisonblade, the Witch King's personal champion, called out a challenge to single combat.
· Though Wallace had no training in unarmed combat, the impression remained that he knew all about karate.· Both men, I am assured by your embassy, are trained with weapons and in unarmed combat.· In the West the closed fist is considered almost the only effective weapon to be used in unarmed combat.
NOUN· The Clash weren't always into combat fatigues.· He had his throng of child beggars with him, and he was still in his combat fatigues.· She wears faded jeans or combat fatigues.· Both men are in combat fatigues.
· But as the repression has increased, more women have directly joined the combat forces.
· Whipping round, he found himself facing four figures in black military style combat gear and carrying guns and flashlights.· Then a group of paras in full combat gear and blackened faces began firing at us.
· In hand to hand combat it would take two, perhaps three, androids to subdue just one of them.· This hand-to-hand combat remains an important weapon as Iowa prepares for its quadrennial presidential caucuses on Feb. 12.· No one knows the origins of hand-to-hand combat.
· In the kitchen he put on the combat jacket under his anorak.· My combat jacket, knife, bags, catapult and other equipment I took down to the kitchen with me.· We drove out of the barracks huddled in our combat jackets, and turned north towards the Alps.· He's described as slim, with long black hair, and was wearing a green combat jacket and jeans.
· His very first authentic combat mission as commander.· He was nervous and cocky at our briefing, the dashing leader of a combat mission to the dreaded Ia Drang.
· It is no coincidence that combat soldiers, particularly paratroops, wear camouflage uniforms that somewhat resemble a leopard's spotted coat.· Any combat soldier who lived through a good portion of his tour experienced one or more proper fire-fights.· Only a handful of civilians have gone through the sustained physical abuse that was routine for combat soldiers searching for Charlie.
· All entered programs for enlisted personnel or non-commissioned officers; it was not known how many would go into combat units.· In practice, combat units were invariably understrength.· The combat unit had sprayed napalm or some napalm analogue into the Silver Shuriken, and he was clothed in fire.· Friedman was a member of a logistics team rather than a combat unit.· Named after famous artillerymen, the larger firebases also served as the field camps for other combat units.· In fact, federal law prohibits women from being in direct combat units.· The battle casualties of the combat units were nearly as bad as those on World War 11 battlefields.· With the combat units dispersed and the opposition extremely difficult to locate, good and timely intelligence was at a premium.
· Ultimately, this work covers issues that combat veterans of any modern war would quickly recognize.
· She was actually in the combat zone now and she noted uneasily that once again she was placed firmly beside the count.· You may think so too, Michael, when you ride a Huey into combat zone.· Yuletide in Walford is traditionally a combat zone with crackers, but the soap excelled itself this year.· Later, I found out there were worse duties in a combat zone.· Jean-Pierre said the doctors were considered too valuable to be sent into the combat zone.
VERB· Once engaged in hand-to-hand combat in this way the Squig Hopper is pinioned to the ground and does not move away.· A few people close to their chairs amuse themselves by watching the others engage in mortal combat to secure a seat.· He'd jumped down, engaging in combat with a huge Mameluke.· Higher animals also engage in playful combat and other forms of competitive behaviour.· Helmeted, armed with long, spear-like boards, the surfers looked like gladiators going out to engage in mortal combat.· If the target is engaged in hand-to-hand combat the spell will also affect all troops which are fighting against it.· Infantry, he added, deliberately placed themselves in positions where they would be engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
· Both are still locked in commercial combat over the lucrative contract to refit Britain's Trident submarine fleet.· Doctors and hospitals, although locked in increasingly venomous combat with insurers, also are mostly opposed.· Since then, the rebels and the armed forces of Sierra Leone have been locked in combat.· In addition, employees are often locked into combat with each other for a shrinking supply of rewards, and even jobs.· He was reminded of Sir Arnold and Jonathan Ram locked in their mental combat.
Corporal Gierson was killed in combat. We flew over 200 combat missions. training in unarmed combat (=fighting without weapons)mortal combat (=fighting until one person kills another)hand-to-hand combat (=fighting in which you are close enough to touch your opponent)combat aircraft/jacket/boots etc► see thesaurus at war2[countable] a fight or battle3combats [plural] loose trousers, often with many pockets: She always wore combats, which were more fashionable than jeans.COLLOCATIONSadjectiveshand-to-hand combat (=in which you are close enough to touch your opponent)· Thousands of men were killed in hand-to-hand combat in less than 24 hours.close combat (=in which you are very near your opponent)· Swords and spears were used for close combat.single combat (=in which you and one other person fight together)· The champion called out a challenge to single combat.unarmed combat (=without weapons)· They were trained in the techniques of unarmed combat.mortal combat (=until one opponent is killed)· an exciting computer game of mortal combat against giants and monstersair/aerial combat (=fighting in the air)· 30 enemy aircraft were destroyed in aerial combat.verbsbe locked in combat (=to be using all your effort and attention to fight each other)· Their troops were locked in combat.engage in combat with somebody formal (=to fight someone)· The president said he was aware of the danger to forces engaged in combat in the field.combat + NOUNcombat troops/soldiers/forces/units· US combat troops were in the streets of the capital yesterday.combat aircraft· Very few combat aircraft have been destroyed.combat vehicles· Armoured combat vehicles appeared on the streets of the city.a combat zone (=an area where there is fighting)· refugees from the combat zonea combat mission/operation· He flew 280 combat missions in two wars.combat gear (=clothes worn in battles by the armed forces)· a group of soldiers in combat gearcombat fatigues (=trousers worn in battles by the armed forces)· He was still dressed in combat fatigues and jungle boots.combat boots· The troops were issued with steel helmets and combat boots.combat readiness (=the state of being ready to fight)· Troops had been flown in and were in combat readiness.combat1 nouncombat2 verb
combatcom‧bat2 /ˈkɒmbæt, kəmˈbæt $ kəmˈbæt, ˈkɑːmbæt/ ●●○ verb (past tense and past participle combated, present participle combating or combatted, combatting) [transitive] WORD ORIGINcombat2
Origin:
1500-1600 French combattre, from Vulgar Latin combattere, from Latin com- ( ➔ COM-) + battuere ‘to hit’VERB TABLE
combat
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | combat |
| he, she, it | combats | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | combatted (BrE), combated (AmE), combatted (AmE) |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have combatted (BrE), combated (AmE), combatted (AmE) |
| he, she, it | has combatted (BrE), combated (AmE), combatted (AmE) | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had combatted (BrE), combated (AmE), combatted (AmE) |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will combat |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have combatted (BrE), combated (AmE), combatted (AmE) |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) |
| he, she, it | is combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) | |
| you, we, they | are combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) |
| you, we, they | were combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) |
| he, she, it | has been combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been combatting (BrE), combating (AmE), combatting (AmE) |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A conference will be held on how to combat pollution of the oceans.
- Measures to combat pollution within the city have been introduced.
- The Cabinet has recommended new measures to combat organized crime.
- The government sees price controls as a way to combat inflation.
- The police are looking for more effective ways to combat drugs gangs in the city.
- A defendant can combat an obstinate refusal even to consider compromise by a shrewd payment into court, or a Calderbank offer.
- Breeders have established their own intelligence network in a bid to combat the crime.
- But the effort to combat her own sensual response seemed too much to cope with - slipping away far beyond her reach.
- Some players find Goblins hard to use because they imagine they are fighters and commit them to combat as if they were Orcs.
- The imperialists have united themselves and combat us everywhere.
- The new push is reflected in the doubling of budget requests-to $ 254m-to combat Aids overseas.
- They also stress that action to combat these phenomena should be seen as an integral part of integration policy and education.
- To combat infection and other problems, doctors had him on 17 different drugs.
Longman Language Activatorto fight for something you think is right or against something you think is wrong
to try hard for a long time to stop something bad from happening or to improve a situation: · We are determined to fight drug abuse in schools.fight for: · Freedom of speech is something well worth fighting for.fight to do something: · Mandela fought to abolish white-only rule in South Africa.fight against: · Amnesty is an organization that fights against torture and injustice.
to work continuously and patiently to make changes that will improve society or the world: work for: · The group has become a small but significant force working for change.work to do something: · an organization that is working to preserve California's redwood treeswork tirelessly (=work very hard): · She will be remembered as someone who worked tirelessly for educational reform.
to work for a long time, for example making speeches, writing to newspapers and political representatives etc, in order to persuade people that something needs to be done: · After months of campaigning, local parents have persuaded the council to provide a school bus service.campaign for: · Women campaigned for equal pay and equal rights throughout the 1960s.campaign to do something: · He was one of the people who campaigned to change the law on homosexuality.
to publicly fight for and defend an aim or principle such as the rights of a group of people: · Martin Luther King championed the rights of all black Americans.· Throughout her political career she was a champion of prison reform.
to take action effectively in order to oppose something bad such as injustice, crime, or illness: · The police are looking for more effective ways to combat drugs gangs in the city.· Measures to combat pollution within the city have been introduced.· The government sees price controls as a way to combat inflation.
if a government or organization wages war on something such as an illness, bad conditions, or crime, they fight against it for a long time in a very determined way: · The World Health Organization is constantly waging war on malaria.· We need a comprehensive strategy to wage war on poverty in our inner cities.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY To combat inflation, the government raised interest rates.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES There was fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the streets of the city. They were defeated in hand-to-hand combat. the screams of men in mortal combat (=fighting until one person kills the other)
to try to stop something bad from happening or getting worse – used especially in news reportscombat inflation/crime/racism etc To combat inflation, the government raised interest rates.· There are a number of ways in which the public can help the police to fight crime.
· Joan swore to fight evil in all its forms.
There was fierce hand-to-hand fighting in the streets of the city. They were defeated in hand-to-hand combat.· A new drug is being developed to combat the infection.
· An economic plan to combat inflation was drawn up.
the screams of men in mortal combat (=fighting until one person kills the other) (=try to deal with it)· Governments must tackle pollution now.
(=take action to get rid of poverty)· The money should be spent on fighting poverty.
· We will provide the necessary resources to combat terrorism.
· We must work together to counter the threat of state terrorism.
· Heavily-armed combat troops were deployed on the streets of the capital yesterday.
(=fighting without weapons)
· The government’s first priority is to combat unemployment.
· Planes were diverted to avoid flying over the war zone.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Breeders have established their own intelligence network in a bid to combat the crime.· Vasconcellos has long argued that to combat crime, the state should attack the root causes, such as low self-esteem.· Murders too were more frequent, and in order to combat the rising crime rate parliament introduced a psychological deterrent.· To combat crime effectively, the police need the full support of the Government and the public.· Tonight he starts his series of reports with a look at how to combat crime.· He supported the demand for private farmers to be allowed the use of firearms to combat rising crime against them.· The long-term strategy to combat knife crimes through schemes like Operation Blade is to achieve a change in the law.· The police are increasingly looking to technology - and to information technology in particular - to help them combat increasing crime.
· Vaccination and treatment of animals, and quality control of meat have been used to combat the disease.· The immune system is depressed during such reactions, lowering your ability to combat diseases.· Antibody production occurs naturally when the body's immune system combats disease.· Please help yourself and others to combat this killer disease.
· They will vigorously pursue their policies to combat drug trafficking and misuse of drugs, nationally and internationally.
· The devotion, care and research taking place in Bristol in the effort to combat these tragedies is uplifting.· The gathering here was the latest in a long line of intergovernmental efforts to combat the menace.· But the effort to combat her own sensual response seemed too much to cope with - slipping away far beyond her reach.
· Another 186, 000 were involved in training programs and other government programs to combat unemployment.
· Appropriate fiscal policies to combat this demand-pull inflation would be a cut in government spending, or an increase in taxation.· Peso-dollar parity, introduced in 1991 to combat three-figure inflation, is now working against the country's interests.· In order to combat inflation the government imposed strict controls on foreign currency.· Speaking at the end of the two days of talks, Mrs Thatcher said it had helped some countries combat inflation.
· Austerity measures introduced to combat the continuing economic crisis included cutbacks in the financial privileges enjoyed by government ministers and civil servants.
· They will vigorously pursue their policies to combat drug trafficking and misuse of drugs, nationally and internationally.· Let us consider the key elements of any policy to combat age discrimination in employment.· Appropriate fiscal policies to combat this demand-pull inflation would be a cut in government spending, or an increase in taxation.
· In order to combat this problem, a number of other indexing methods have been developed.· Insurance companies have just a few ways to combat the moral-hazard problem.· Finally the Ashleys decided to combat the problem of non-paying wholesale customers by themselves buying a London shop.· To combat infection and other problems, doctors had him on 17 different drugs.· To combat some of these problems, there should, argued Bell, be increased opportunities for representation before the tribunal.· The guide outlines what harassment is and what can be done to combat the problem both formally and informally.· The Link group acts as a forum for the major environmental issues and agrees strategies to combat existing problems.· It was only the unnatural methods they used in order to combat the problem which were wrong.
· The Link group acts as a forum for the major environmental issues and agrees strategies to combat existing problems.· Companies are now starting to develop strategies to combat these losses.· The long-term strategy to combat knife crimes through schemes like Operation Blade is to achieve a change in the law.
· In both 1988 and 1989, combatting racial violence has been a priority for the Metropolitan Police.
To combat inflation, the government raised interest rates. new strategies for combatting terrorism