War n. 1.A contest between nations or states, carried on by force, whether for defence, for revenging insults and redressing wrongs, for the extension of commerce, for the acquisition of territory, for obtaining and establishing the superiority and dominion of one over the other, or for any other purpose; armed conflict of sovereign powers; declared and open hostilities. "Men will ever distinguish war from mere bloodshed." Note: As war is the contest of nations or states, it always implies that such contest is authorized by the monarch or the sovereign power of the nation. A war begun by attacking another nation, is called an offensive war, and such attack is aggressive. War undertaken to repel invasion, or the attacks of an enemy, is called defensive.
2.(Law) A condition of belligerency to be maintained by physical force. In this sense, levying war against the sovereign authority is treason.
3.Instruments of war. (Poetic) "His complement of stores, and total war."
4.Forces; army. (Poetic) "On their embattled ranks the waves return, And overwhelm their war."
5.The profession of arms; the art of war. "Thou art but a youth, and he is a man of war from his youth."
6.A state of opposition or contest; an act of opposition; an inimical contest, act, or action; enmity; hostility. "Raised impious war in heaven." "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart."
Civil war, a war between different sections or parties of the same country or nation.
Holy war. See under Holy. Man of war. (Naut.) See in the Vocabulary.
Public war, a war between independent sovereign states.
War cry, a cry or signal used in war; as, the Indian war cry.
War dance, a dance among savages preliminary to going to war. Among the North American Indians, it is begun by some distinguished chief, and whoever joins in it thereby enlists as one of the party engaged in a warlike excursion.
War field, a field of war or battle.
War horse, a horse used in war; the horse of a cavalry soldier; especially, a strong, powerful, spirited horse for military service; a charger.
War paint, paint put on the face and other parts of the body by savages, as a token of going to war. "Wash the war paint from your faces."
War song, a song of or pertaining to war; especially, among the American Indians, a song at the war dance, full of incitements to military ardor.
War whoop, a war cry, especially that uttered by the American Indians.
Civil adj. 1.Pertaining to a city or state, or to a citizen in his relations to his fellow citizens or to the state; within the city or state.
2.Subject to government; reduced to order; civilized; not barbarous; said of the community. "England was very rude and barbarous; for it is but even the other day since England grew civil."
3.Performing the duties of a citizen; obedient to government; said of an individual. "Civil men come nearer the saints of God than others; they come within a step or two of heaven."
4.Having the manners of one dwelling in a city, as opposed to those of savages or rustics; polite; courteous; complaisant; affable. Note: "A civil man now is one observant of slight external courtesies in the mutual intercourse between man and man; a civil man once was one who fulfilled all the duties and obligations flowing from his position as a 'civis' and his relations to the other members of that 'civitas.'"
5.Pertaining to civic life and affairs, in distinction from military, ecclesiastical, or official state.
6.Relating to rights and remedies sought by action or suit distinct from criminal proceedings.
Civil action, an action to enforce the rights or redress the wrongs of an individual, not involving a criminal proceeding.
Civil architecture, the architecture which is employed in constructing buildings for the purposes of civil life, in distinction from military and naval architecture, as private houses, palaces, churches, etc.
Civil death. (Law.) See under Death. Civil engineering. See under Engineering. Civil law. See under Law. Civil list. See under List. Civil remedy (Law), that given to a person injured, by action, as opposed to a criminal prosecution.
Civil service, all service rendered to and paid for by the state or nation other than that pertaining to naval or military affairs.
Civil service reform, the substitution of business principles and methods for the spoils system in the conduct of the civil service, esp. in the matter of appointments to office.
Civil state, the whole body of the laity or citizens not included under the military, maritime, and ecclesiastical states.
Civil suit. Same as Civil action.
Civil war. See under War. Civil year. See under Year. 
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