From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Royal \Roy"al\, a. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F.
royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See {Rich}, and
cf. {regal}, {real} a coin, {Rial}.]
1. Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable
for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or
prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state.
[1913 Webster]
2. Noble; generous; magnificent; princely.
[1913 Webster]
How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio? --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. Under the patronage of royality; holding a charter granted
by the sovereign; as, the Royal Academy of Arts; the Royal
Society.
[1913 Webster]
{Battle royal}. See under {Battle}.
{Royal bay} (Bot.), the classic laurel ({Laurus nobilis}.)
{Royal eagle}. (Zool.) See {Golden eagle}, under {Golden}.
{Royal fern} (Bot.), the handsome fern {Osmunda regalis}. See
{Osmund}.
{Royal mast} (Naut.), the mast next above the topgallant mast
and usually the highest on a square-rigged vessel. The
royal yard and royal sail are attached to the royal mast.
{Royal metal}, an old name for gold.
{Royal palm} (Bot.), a magnificent West Indian palm tree
({Oreodoxa regia}), lately discovered also in Florida.
{Royal pheasant}. See {Curassow}.
{Royal purple}, an intense violet color, verging toward blue.
{Royal tern} (Zool.), a large, crested American tern ({Sterna
maxima}).
{Royal tiger}. (Zool.) See {Tiger}.
{Royal touch}, the touching of a diseased person by the hand
of a king, with the view of restoring to health; --
formerly extensively practiced, particularly for the
scrofula, or king's evil.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Kingly; regal; monarchical; imperial; kinglike;
princely; august; majestic; superb; splendid;
illustrious; noble; magnanimous.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Battle \Bat"tle\, n. [OE. bataille, bataile, F. bataille battle,
OF., battle, battalion, fr. L. battalia, battualia, the
fighting and fencing exercises of soldiers and gladiators,
fr. batuere to strike, beat. Cf. {Battalia}, 1st {Battel},
and see {Batter}, v. t. ]
1. A general action, fight, or encounter, in which all the
divisions of an army are or may be engaged; an engagement;
a combat.
[1913 Webster]
2. A struggle; a contest; as, the battle of life.
[1913 Webster]
The whole intellectual battle that had at its center
the best poem of the best poet of that day. --H.
Morley.
[1913 Webster]
3. A division of an army; a battalion. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
The king divided his army into three battles.
--Bacon.
[1913 Webster]
The cavalry, by way of distinction, was called the
battle, and on it alone depended the fate of every
action. --Robertson.
[1913 Webster]
4. The main body, as distinct from the van and rear;
battalia. [Obs.] --Hayward.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Battle is used adjectively or as the first part of a
self-explaining compound; as, battle brand, a "brand"
or sword used in battle; battle cry; battlefield;
battle ground; battle array; battle song.
[1913 Webster]
{Battle piece}, a painting, or a musical composition,
representing a battle.
{Battle royal}.
(a) A fight between several gamecocks, where the one that
stands longest is the victor. --Grose.
(b) A contest with fists or cudgels in which more than two
are engaged; a m[^e]l['e]e. --Thackeray.
{Drawn battle}, one in which neither party gains the victory.
{To give battle}, to attack an enemy.
{To join battle}, to meet the attack; to engage in battle.
{Pitched battle}, one in which the armies are previously
drawn up in form, with a regular disposition of the
forces.
{Wager of battle}. See under {Wager}, n.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Conflict; encounter; contest; action.
Usage: {Battle}, {Combat}, {Fight}, {Engagement}. These words
agree in denoting a close encounter between contending
parties. Fight is a word of less dignity than the
others. Except in poetry, it is more naturally applied
to the encounter of a few individuals, and more
commonly an accidental one; as, a street fight. A
combat is a close encounter, whether between few or
many, and is usually premeditated. A battle is
commonly more general and prolonged. An engagement
supposes large numbers on each side, engaged or
intermingled in the conflict.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
battle royal
n 1: a noisy riotous fight [syn: {melee}, {scrimmage}, {battle
royal}]
|
