army
C2Formal, neutral, metaphorical.
Definition
Meaning
A large, organized military force trained and equipped for warfare on land.
A large number of people, animals, or things organized or working for a common purpose or advancing together.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary sense is a national land force. Its extended, metaphorical use is highly productive for describing any large, organized group.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. The British Army is a proper noun for the land component of the UK's armed forces. In the US, 'Army' (capitalized) refers specifically to the United States Army.
Connotations
Similar connotations of discipline, structure, and large-scale organization in both dialects.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both dialects. The metaphorical use is equally common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + army (defeat, raise, command, join)army + [verb] (marched, advanced, retreated, occupied)[adjective] + army (invading, professional, volunteer, rebel)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “an army of (something)”
- “you and whose army?”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'An army of sales representatives launched the new product.'
Academic
Historical/Political Science: 'The conscript army played a decisive role in the conflict.'
Everyday
Literal: 'My brother decided to join the army.' Metaphorical: 'She brought an army of helpers to clean the house.'
Technical
Military science: 'The army's logistics chain was a key strategic advantage.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They decided to army up for the protest, organising into clear divisions.
American English
- The fans armyed their way to the front of the queue.
adjective
British English
- He wore an army-style jacket.
American English
- The surplus store sold army-green pants.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The army has many soldiers.
- He is in the army.
- The country has a large and modern army.
- She joined the army after university.
- The rebel army was forced to retreat from the capital after weeks of fighting.
- An army of volunteers helped to rebuild the community centre.
- Deploying the army in a civil dispute remains a deeply controversial constitutional issue.
- The tech company has assembled a veritable army of data analysts to crunch the numbers.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ARM-Y: Think of many strong ARMs organized into a unified group (Y).
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANIZATIONS ARE ARMIES / LARGE GROUPS ARE ARMIES (e.g., an army of volunteers, an army of ants).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- In Russian, 'армия' (armiya) is a direct cognate and covers the same core and metaphorical meanings, making it a relatively straightforward translation with minimal false friends.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'army' to refer to air or naval forces specifically (use 'air force', 'navy'). Confusing 'army' with 'military' (which is the broader institution).
Practice
Quiz
In a metaphorical sense, 'an army of supporters' suggests:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Military' is the broad term for a country's armed forces (army, navy, air force). 'Army' specifically refers to the land-based fighting force.
Yes, metaphorically it is very common: 'an army of ants', 'an army of reporters'.
Yes, this is an established idiom or slogan (used by the U.S. Army) that plays on the contradiction to imply great self-sufficiency and capability.
The standard plural is 'armies' (e.g., 'The two armies met at the border').