warfare

warfare
war‧fare /ˈwɔːfeə $ ˈwɔːrfer/ noun [uncountable]1. the activity of fighting in a war – used especially when talking about particular methods of fighting:
    the realities of modern warfare
    chemical/nuclear/germ etc warfare
    trench/jungle/mountain etc warfare
    guerrilla warfare (=fighting by small groups of fighters in mountains, forests etc)
2. a continuous and often violent struggle or argument between different groups
    class/gang/internecine etc warfare
    the problems of drugs and gang warfare
⇨ psychological warfare at psychological(3)
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + warfare
   ▪ chemical warfare (=using chemicals, for example poisonous gases, as weapons) the consequences of America’s chemical warfare in Vietnam
   ▪ biological/germ warfare (=using dangerous bacteria or illnesses as a weapon) These bacteria might be used in biological warfare.
   ▪ nuclear warfare the appalling consequences of nuclear warfare.
   ▪ conventional warfare (=not nuclear) They had a stronger conventional warfare capability.
   ▪ ground warfare (=fighting on the ground, rather than in the air or on the sea) Ground warfare took a heavy toll in casualties.
   ▪ trench warfare (=fighting from long holes dug into the ground) There he experienced the full horrors of trench warfare.
   ▪ jungle warfare The Japanese had been trained in jungle warfare.
   ▪ guerrilla warfare (=involving a small unofficial military group) Sporadic fighting turned into full-scale guerrilla warfare.
   ▪ naval warfare The age of modern naval warfare was at hand.
■ verbs
   ▪ wage warfare Rebels waged guerrilla warfare against the occupying army.
   ▪ engage in warfare The country did not want to engage in warfare.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ war noun [uncountable and countable] 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
   ▪ conflict noun [uncountable and countable] 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.
   ▪ fighting 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.
   ▪ hostilities noun [plural] formal fighting in a war: The agreement called on the guerrillas to cease hostilities (=stop fighting) and begin peace talks.
   ▪ warfare 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
   ▪ battle noun [uncountable and countable] 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.
   ▪ skirmish /ˈskɜːmɪʃ $ ˈskɜːr-/ 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.
   ▪ combat noun [uncountable] the act of fighting, especially during a war: Few of them had any experience of combat. | hand-to-hand combat
   ▪ action 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.