lines of battles

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lines of battles" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a misphrasing; the correct expression is "lines of battle." Example: "The two armies formed their lines of battle at dawn, ready for the confrontation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Archival institutions and libraries are often on the front lines of battles over ownership of digital content and the legality of ensuring copies are preserved.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Policies on gender and sexuality have repeatedly become points of contention, putting some businesses on the front lines of battles over social issues.

The New York Times

This time Mr. Elelaimy, a young lawyer, rallied demonstrators on the front lines of battles with the police, helped organize security at the gates and generally exulted that "al-midan"— the square, in Arabic — again throbbed with raucous demands for change.

The New York Times

Yet even more striking were the numbers of middle-class Ukrainians, who did not wish to go to the front lines of battles with police, but prepared stones for others, while grandmothers offered tea and sandwiches, plus milk to counter the sting of tear gas.What happens next will depend in part on perceptions both in Ukraine and outside of who was responsible for violence.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Combat using these formations was known as line-of-battle warfare.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Therefore, a natural progression was toward fleets of big "line-of-battle ships," or ships of the line.

Encyclopedia Britannica

About 40 of these ships were line-of-battle ships, the rest being mostly transports and light craft.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The columnar formations that typified line-of-battle tactics were developed by the British in the late 17th century and came into standard use by most navies thereafter.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The French and Spaniards had in all 46 line-of-battle ships to his 33, and his ships were ill-equipped and ill-manned.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The British fleet had fifteen line-of-battle ships against the twenty four Spanish ships.

Wikipedia

A Spanish fleet made up of twenty four line-of-battle ships and seven frigates sailed from Toulon on 1 February 1797.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct form, "lines of battle", or the more common "battle lines", when referring to military arrangements or metaphorical conflicts.

Common error

Avoid using the plural "battles" when referring to the arrangement of forces. The correct term is "lines of battle", which describes the formation, not multiple battles.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lines of battles" is an incorrect pluralization. The correct term is "lines of battle", which functions as a noun phrase describing a military formation. According to Ludwig AI, the expression is not correct, and the examples illustrate the correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "lines of battles" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "lines of battle" or the more common "battle lines". This phrase refers to the arrangement of forces in a military or metaphorical conflict. Ludwig AI indicates that "lines of battles" is not a standard English expression. While examples are rare, the phrase appears across diverse sources such as News & Media, Academia, and Encyclopedias, the authoritative examples use "lines of battle". It's advisable to use the accurate form, "lines of battle", or the alternative "battle lines", for clarity and grammatical correctness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lines of battle

This is the corrected form of the phrase, fixing the grammatical error.

battle lines

Reverses the order of the words for a more common and natural expression.

front lines of battle

Adds emphasis on the forward position in a conflict or struggle.

order of battle

Refers to the disposition and organization of military forces in preparation for combat.

military formations

A broader term encompassing various arrangements of troops or ships for combat.

combat formations

Similar to military formations, but specifically in a combat context.

strategic positions

Emphasizes the tactical placement of forces for an advantage.

opposing forces

Highlights the adversarial nature and positioning of two or more groups.

theaters of war

Describes the geographical areas where military conflicts take place.

areas of conflict

General term referring to locations where there is active fighting or disagreement.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "lines of battles"?

The correct form is "lines of battle". The plural "battles" is grammatically incorrect in this context.

Can I use "battle lines" instead of "lines of battle"?

Yes, "battle lines" is a common and acceptable alternative to "lines of battle", often used in both military and metaphorical contexts.

What does "lines of battle" mean in a historical context?

Historically, "lines of battle" refers to the arrangement of naval or land forces in a specific formation for combat. It was a common tactic in warfare.

How can I use "lines of battle" in a sentence?

Example: "The general ordered his troops to form "lines of battle" in preparation for the enemy's advance."