enemy

B1
US /ˈɛn.ə.mi/
noun verb Freq #1188

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    any hostile group of people

    Some people view lawyers as the real enemy.

  2. 2
    noun

    an opposing military force

    the enemy attacked at dawn

  3. 3
    noun

    Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.

    under enemy duress

  4. 4
    noun

    A hostile force or nation; a fighting member of such a force or nation.

    Rally together against a common enemy.

  5. 5
    noun

    Something harmful or threatening to another

    The very thing the 16 skiers and snowboarders had sought — fresh, soft snow — instantly became the enemy. Somewhere above, a pristine meadow cracked in the shape of a lightning bolt, slicing a slab nearly 200 feet across and 3 feet deep. Gravity did the rest.

  6. 6
    noun

    Of, by, relating to, or belonging to an enemy.

    The building was destroyed by enemy bombing.

  7. 7
    noun

    A non-player character that tries to harm the player.

    Use gadgets like Nakishkas to fend off enemies.

  8. 8
    verb

    To make an enemy of.

    These prelates and nobles, seeing themselves dispossessed by the death of this king don Alfonso, to whom they had adhered, and enemied with the king don Enrique his brother, whom they had deserted, were in great fear, dreading the indignation of the king, whom by letters and words they had much injured; and they found no other remedy for their defense but to continue the division which they had begun in the realm, raising for queen of it the princess doña Isabel in place of her brother.

Etymology

From Middle English enemy, enemye, enmy, borrowed from Old French enemi, anemi (Modern French ennemi), from Latin inimīcus, from in- (“not”) + amīcus (“friend”). Displaced Middle English fend (“enemy”), from Old English fēond (“enemy”), which survived into Modern English as fiend, but with a different meaning. Doublet of inimic.

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Thesaurus

Synonyms
3 noun · someone who is hostile to,... adversarybackfriendfoenemesisunfriend
4 noun · a hostile force or nation;... adversaryfoenemesis
7 noun · a non-player character that... mob
More antagonistbanecorrivalfiendfoemanopponentopposerrival
Opposites
Word family
Derived forms archenemyenemediaenemy-likeenemydomenemyhoodenemyismenemylessenemylikeenemynessenemyshipenemyslashenemywise
Related forms enmityfrenemyinimicalnemesisvillain

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