battalion

/bəˈtæliən/ (bre, ipa) · [bətˈæljən] /bəˈtæliən/ (ame, ipa) · [bətˈæljən] /bə-ˈtal-yən How to pronounce battalion (audio)/ (ame, mw)

battalion — noun

1. an army unit formed from several companies that fight or work under one command

1.名詞B2
釋義

an army unit formed from several companies that fight or work under one command

例句

The battalion moved across the valley before sunrise and secured the road.

battalion as an army unit under one command

Bao served in a medical battalion that set up tents after the flood.

serve in a battalion

同義詞
  • company

    a smaller military unit, often one part of a battalion

  • regiment

    often a larger or broader military formation with several battalions

  • brigade

    a larger formation that can contain several battalions

文法句型

an infantry battalion

serve in a battalion

lead a battalion

用法筆記

Used for an official military formation, not for any small group of soldiers. A battalion is usually larger than a company and smaller than a brigade.

常見錯誤

❌The police formed a battalion to manage traffic downtown.
✅The police formed a unit to manage traffic downtown.
💡Battalion is mainly a military term, not the normal word for a civilian team.

2. a very large number of people, especially when they seem organized or all arrive

2.名詞C1
釋義

a very large number of people, especially when they seem organized or all arrive together

例句

After the singer arrived, a battalion of reporters filled the hotel lobby.

battalion of + plural noun for a large crowd

Dahlia brought a battalion of cousins to help decorate the wedding hall.

同義詞
  • crowd

    the ordinary word for many people together, without the organized-force image

  • host

    a large number, often in literary or dramatic style

  • army

    can also mean a large group of people, but is more common and less specific in tone

文法句型

a battalion of reporters

battalions of fans

send in a battalion of lawyers

用法筆記

Usually appears in a figurative way to stress size and force, often with a tone of exaggeration. It is more vivid than simply saying a lot of people.

常見錯誤

❌A battalion of apples fell from the tree.
✅A huge number of apples fell from the tree.
💡This figurative sense is mainly used for groups of people, not ordinary objects.