n.
 a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country. 
▸a state of competition, conflict, or hostility:
 a price war.
  ▸a sustained campaign against something undesirable:
 a war on drugs.
v.
 (wars, warring, warred)
 engage in a war or conflict.
 
  Phrase
  
    - be in the wars
 informal be injured.  - war clouds
 a threatening situation of instability in international relations. 
   
  Etymology
  OE werre, from an Anglo-Norman Fr. var. of OFr. guerre, from a Gmc base shared by worse.