battle lines
Opposing armies' boundaries
Battle lines are the positions where opposing forces face each other in conflict, whether military or metaphorical.
The term most often appears in the phrase draw battle lines, meaning to establish clear opposing positions on an issue.
Battle lines have been drawn over the proposed zoning changes.
When battle lines are drawn, compromise becomes less likely and confrontation more certain.
Violent disagreement or collision
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
- oppositionActive resistance or dissent
dispute · conflict · skirmish · feud · hostility · antagonism · contention · rivalry
Resistance between touching surfaces
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- strainExcessive stretching force
- pressureForce upon contact
- conflictOpposition between parties
dispute · discord · distrust · opposition · contention · animosity · turmoil · unease
Elongated ground excavations
- frontForward-facing side
- flankSide of body
- fortificationStrengthening defenses or nutrients
- encampmentTemporary military or refugee settlement
foxhole · barricade · position · salient · advance · siege · artillery · infantry
Separation into opposing extremes
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
- cleavageTendency to split cleanly
bifurcation · dichotomy · demarcation · gulf · fracture · separation · factions · sides
Methods to achieve goals
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- feintDeceptive mock attack
- logisticsCoordination of complex activities
deployment · command · intelligence · counterattack · campaign · planning · reconnaissance · positioning
clash
Violent disagreement or collision
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- showdownDecisive final confrontation
- face-offDirect clash between opponents
opposition · dispute · conflict · skirmish · feud · hostility · antagonism · contention · rivalry · discord
friction
Resistance between touching surfaces
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- strainExcessive stretching force
- pressureForce upon contact
conflict · dispute · discord · distrust · opposition · contention · animosity · turmoil · unease · volatility
trenches
Elongated ground excavations
- frontForward-facing side
- flankSide of body
- fortificationStrengthening defenses or nutrients
encampment · foxhole · barricade · position · salient · advance · siege · artillery · infantry · reinforcements
polarization
Separation into opposing extremes
- partisanshipLoyalty to one faction
- schismFormal organizational fracture
- riftCrack or estrangement
cleavage · bifurcation · dichotomy · demarcation · gulf · fracture · separation · factions · sides · camps
tactics
Methods to achieve goals
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
- encirclementSurrounding enemy forces completely
- feintDeceptive mock attack
logistics · deployment · command · intelligence · counterattack · campaign · planning · reconnaissance · positioning · formation
- Civil War Infantryfoot soldiers, riflemen, skirmishers, privates, sergeants
- battlefieldsGettysburg, Waterloo, Antietam, frontline, trenches
- Eastern FrontStalingrad, Kursk, Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev
- military tacticstactics, flanking, maneuver, ambush, combat maneuvers
- Western Fronttrenches, battlefields, Ypres, Somme, Verdun
- conflictclash, fight, war, dispute, feud
battle linescommon ground
Points of agreement
peace negotiations · unity · reconciliation · consensus · peace talks
battle linesopen dialogue
Unrestricted mutual communication
compromise · flexibility · middle ground · negotiation · give-and-take
battle linesunity
Wholeness through cohesion
solidarity · union · alliance · coalition · partnership
battle, lines, battles, battlefield, battling, battled, battleground, battler, battlers