war

noun13

1. •
   fighting with weapons between nations or other large groups of people

   • And when yee shall heare of warres, and rumors of warres, be yee not troubled: For such things must needs be, but the end shall not be yet. — 1611
2. •
   A particular conflict of this kind.

   • a war of succession... a war of attrition... the Cold War... World War III...
3. •
   Any protracted conflict.

   • the War on Poverty... the War on Drugs... the War on Christmas... — 2025
4. •
   A sustained campaign against a social problem, idea, set of values, etc.
5. •
   A protracted instance of fierce competition in trade.

   • price wars... Cola Wars... format wars...
6. •
   A protracted struggle between rival organizations for control of a particular institution.

   • FISA–FOCA war...
7. •
   A prolonged conflict between two groups of organized criminals, usually over organizational or territorial control.

   • turf war... gang war... Castellammarese War...
8. •
   (Internet) An argument between two or more people with opposing opinions on a topic or issue.

   • flame war... edit war...
9. •
   Protracted armed conflict against irregular forces, particularly groups considered terrorists.

   • the Great Emu War... the Global War on Terrorism...
10. •
    Protracted state or state-sponsored political violence against dissidents.

    • the Dirty War...
11. •
    Any of a family of card games where all cards are dealt at the beginning of play and players attempt to capture them all, typically involving no skill and only serving to kill time.

    • We played crazy eights, war, fifty-two card pickup. Rudy flipped the whole deck across the table at me and the cards sailed to the floor, kings, queens, deuces. — 2004
12. •
    (no longer used) Armed forces.

    • On thir imbattelld ranks the Waves return, And overwhelm thir Warr — 1667
13. •
    (no longer used) An assembly of weapons; instruments of war.

    • The God of Love himself inhabits there, With all his rage, and dread, and grief, and care, His complement of stores, and total war... — 1709

verb2

1. •
   To engage in conflict (may be followed by "with" to specify the foe).

   • ...to war the Scot, and borders to defend... — 1595
2. •
   To carry on, as a contest; to wage.

   • […], that thou by them mightest warre a good warfare,[…]. — 1611

noun2

1. •
   Acronym of wins above replacement.
2. •
   Initialism of write after read, a kind of data hazard.