battle, combat, freq. in Hom., usu. of armies, μ. καὶ φύλοπις Il. 13.789; ἐπὶ ἶσα μ. τέτατο πτόλεμός τε 12.436; μ. ἐνοπή τε 12.35; μάχαι τʼ ἀνδροκτασίαι τε 7.237; sts. of single combat, ib. 158, 232, 263; μ. καὶ δηϊοτής ib. 290; ναῶν ἐν μάχαις Pi. N. 9.34; μάχαις καὶ ναυμαχίαις Lys. 30.26; μάχη δορός A. Ag. 439 (lyr.), etc.: with Verbs, μάχην μάχεσθαι fight a battle, Il. 15.414, etc.; θήσονται μ. 24.402; μάχας εἰσήλυθον 2.798; ἀρτύνθη μ. 11.216; μ. ἤγειραν 17.261; μ. ὀρνύμεν, ὤτρυνον, 9.353, 12.
= ἀγών, contest, as for a prize in the games, Pi. O. 8.58 (but ἄεθλα, opp. μάχαι πολέμου, Id. O. 2.44).
struggle, μηχανή τε πολλὴ καὶ μ. ἦν περί τινος X. Cyr. 7.5.38.
mode of fighting, way of battle, ἡ μ. σφέων ἦν ἀπʼ ἵππων Hdt. 1.79; ἐπίστασθαι τὴν μ. τινῶν Id. 7.9.α, cf. 7.85, X. Cyr. 2.1.7.
field of battle, interpol. in Id. An. 2.2.6, 5.5.4.
in Logic, contradiction, inconsistency, Epict. Ench. 52.1, S.E. M. 7.392.