defeat

Law an annulment

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Defeat

Appomattox Courthouse

scene of Lee’s surrender to Grant (1865). [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 22]

Armada, Spanish

defeat by English fleet marked Spain’s decline and England’s rise as a world power (1588). [Eur. Hist.: EB, 1: 521–522]

Austerlitz

defeat of Austro-Russian coalition by Napoleon (1805). [Fr. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 23–24]

Bataan

Philippine peninsula where U.S. troops surrendered to Japanese (1942). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 245]

Battle of the Boyne

sealed Ireland’s fate as England’s vassal state (1690). [Br. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 39]

Battle of the Bulge

final, futile German WWII offensive (1944–1945). [Eur. Hist.: Hitler, 1148–1153, 1154–1155]

Caudine Forks

mountain pass where Romans were humiliatingly defeated by the Samnites. [Rom. Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 186]

Culloden

consolidated English supremacy; broke clan system (1746). [Br. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 70]

Dien Bien Phu

Vietminh rout of French paved way for partition of Vietnam (1954). [Fr. Hist.: Van Doren, 541]

Gallipoli

poorly conceived and conducted battle ending in British disaster (1915). [Br. Hist.: Fuller, III, 240–261]

Little Bighorn

scene of General Ouster’s “last stand” (1876). [Am. Hist.: Van Doren, 274]

Pearl Harbor

Japan’s surprise attack destroys U.S. fleet (1941). [Am. Hist.: NCE, 2089]

Pyrrhic victory

a too costly victory; “Another such victory and we are lost.” [Rom. Hist.: “Asculum I” in Eggenburger, 30–31]

Salt River

up which losing political parties travel to oblivion. [Am. Slang: LLEI, I: 312]

Sedan

decisive German defeat of French (1870). [Fr. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 225]

Stalingrad

German army succumbs to massive Soviet pincer movement (1942-1943). [Ger. Hist.: Fuller, III, 531–538]

Waterloo

British victory in Belgium signals end of Napoleon’s domination (1815). [Fr. Hist.: Harbottle Battles, 266]

white flag

a sign of surrender. [Western Folklore: Misc.]

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References in periodicals archive

"The colour of the bus comes from the One Nation colour scheme -- see Ed's speech at last conference -- and it would have been patronising and defeatist to avoid it because it has been stolen by the toy industry as a badge of girlhood.

Newcastle MP who criticised 'pinkifcation' of girls' toys defends Labour's pink bus; Chi Onwurah says pink is Labour's 'One Nation' campaign colour and to not use it would be "patronising and defeatist"

For this defeatist attitude will only have detrimental effects toward the Cardiff City players and also the loyal supporters.

Bluebirds need to think positive; Yousay IN YOUR OPINION..

Summary: Mohamed Nazzal, a member of Hamas political bureau, strongly denounced Mahmoud Abbas for suspending the discussion of UN investigator Richard Goldstone's report, describing it as defeatist and immoral.

Abbas orders probe into Goldston report vote delay

His spirited intervention came after former deputy prime minister John Prescott warned on Friday there was too much "defeatist" thinking in the party.

Brown admits Labour faces fight of its life

THE Defence Secretary, Bob Ainsworth, accused the public of having a "defeatist" attitude about the war in Afghanistan.

Bring troops home; LETTERS to the EDITOR

He said parties, which are trying to form a new government, are "crying" due to their defeatist mindset, while the Maoists are "proud", of their ability to come out of the trap laid by counter-revolutionists and regressive forces.

I fired a missile: PM

There is one last obstacle we will have to overcome in implementing this strategy the talk about reduced expectations, reductionist and defeatist approaches.

Afghan stability to ensure peace in region

IN his letter Defeatist Or Realist (29.11.08), S Baxter states that if Ray Mallon has to battle with National Trust and Redcar & Cleveland Council over the East Middlesbrough bypass, this will elongate the project and provoke discord with Redcar & Cleveland and, because of these perceived problems, Ray Mallon should surrender on the bypass.

Letter: Your Say - No white flag..

To grow in recovery, emotional growth is key--which means facing up to defeatist attitudes and understanding how sobriety is placed at risk.

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withdrawal, but most dismissed such defeatist talk.

Not one life more: while we concoct an honorable exit strategy, the dying continues in Iraq

TNA: A common defeatist refrain is that it is now impossible to solve this dilemma through enforcement--that we can't deport that many people and keep more from pouring in.

We can control our borders: one of America's foremost authorities on immigration responds to questions about the problem of illegal aliens and the necessity of controlling our borders

"If you don't change [the defeatist attitude], it becomes a defeatist situation.

Willie Randolph: a familiar face in a new place: the former New York Yankees All-Star moves across town as manager of the New York Mets