march

[ mahrch ]

/ mɑrtʃ /

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verb (used without object)

to walk with regular and measured tread, as soldiers on parade; advance in step in an organized body.

to walk in a stately, deliberate manner: The graduates marched to the front of the auditorium to the music of “Pomp and Circumstance.”

to engage in a procession organized as a demonstration of protest or support (sometimes followed by on): During the trade talks, thousands marched in support of farmers and the farming industry.Municipal workers marched on city hall to protest cuts in garbage collection.

to move aggressively toward a place in preparation for confrontation or battle (followed by on): The angry mob marched on the Bastille.

to go forward; advance; proceed: Time marches on.

verb (used with object)

to cause to march: He marched his troops along the Niagara River toward Buffalo.

noun

the act or course of marching.

the distance covered in a single period of marching: The edge of the desert is three days' march away.

forward movement; advance; progress: The unrestrained march of science and technology may have some alarming social consequences.

a piece of music with a rhythm suited to accompany marching.

a procession organized as a demonstration of protest or support: There were antiwar marches in major cities across the nation.On July 29 there will be a march for universal healthcare.

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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

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Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

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Idioms about march

on the march, moving ahead; progressing; advancing: Automation is on the march.

steal a march on, to gain an advantage over, especially secretly or slyly.

Origin of march

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English marchen, from Middle French marcher, Old French marchi(e)r “to tread, move,” from Frankish markōn (unattested) presumably, “to mark, pace out (a boundary)”; see mark¹

Other definitions for march (2 of 6)

march²

[ mahrch ]

/ mɑrtʃ /

noun

a tract of land along a border of a country; frontier.

marches, the border districts between England and Scotland, or England and Wales.

verb (used without object)

to touch at the border; border.

Origin of march

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English march(e), from Anglo-French, Old French, from Germanic; compare Old English gemearc, Gothic marka “boundary”; see mark¹

Other definitions for march (3 of 6)

March¹

[ mahrch ]

/ mɑrtʃ /

noun

the third month of the year, containing 31 days. Abbreviation: Mar.

Origin of March

before 1050; Middle English March(e) <Anglo-French Marche; replacing Old English Martius<Latin, short for Mārtius mēnsis month of Mars (Mārti-, stem of Mārs + -us adj. suffix)

Other definitions for march (4 of 6)

March²

[ mahrch for 1-3; mahrkh for 4 ]

/ mɑrtʃ for 1-3; mɑrx for 4 /

noun

Francis Andrew, 1825–1911, U.S. philologist and lexicographer.

Fredric Frederick McIntyre Bickel, 1897–1975, U.S. actor.

Pey·ton Con·way

[peyt-n kon-wey], /ˈpeɪt n ˈkɒn weɪ/, 1864–1955, U.S. army officer (son of Francis Andrew March).

German name of the Morava.

Other definitions for march (5 of 6)

March.

abbreviation

Marchioness.

Other definitions for march (6 of 6)

M.Arch.

abbreviation

Master of Architecture.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for march (1 of 6)

march¹

/ (mɑːtʃ) /

verb

(intr) to walk or proceed with stately or regular steps, usually in a procession or military formation

(tr) to make (a person or group) proceedhe marched his army to the town

(tr) to traverse or cover by marchingto march a route

noun

the act or an instance of marching

a regular stridea slow march

a long or exhausting walk

advance; progression (of time, etc)

a distance or route covered by marching

a piece of music, usually in four beats to the bar, having a strongly accented rhythm

steal a march on to gain an advantage over, esp by a secret or underhand enterprise

Derived forms of march

marcher, noun

Word Origin for march

C16: from Old French marchier to tread, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old English mearcian to mark 1

British Dictionary definitions for march (2 of 6)

march²

/ (mɑːtʃ) /

noun

Also called: marchland a frontier, border, or boundary or the land lying along it, often of disputed ownership

verb

(intr; often foll by upon or with) to share a common border (with)

Word Origin for march

C13: from Old French marche, from Germanic; related to mark 1

British Dictionary definitions for march (3 of 6)

March¹

/ (mɑːtʃ) /

noun

the third month of the year, consisting of 31 days

Word Origin for March

from Old French, from Latin Martius (month) of Mars

British Dictionary definitions for march (4 of 6)

March²

/ (març) /

noun

the German name for the Morava (def. 1)

British Dictionary definitions for march (5 of 6)

MArch

abbreviation for

Master of Architecture

British Dictionary definitions for march (6 of 6)

March.

abbreviation for

Marchioness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with march

march

In addition to the idiom beginning with march

marching orders, get one's
march to a different beat

also see:

steal a march on

march

Idioms about march

Origin of march

Other definitions for march (2 of 6)

Origin of march

Other definitions for march (3 of 6)

Origin of March

Other definitions for march (4 of 6)

Other definitions for march (5 of 6)

Other definitions for march (6 of 6)

Words related to march

British Dictionary definitions for march (1 of 6)

Derived forms of march

Word Origin for march

British Dictionary definitions for march (2 of 6)

Word Origin for march

British Dictionary definitions for march (3 of 6)

Word Origin for March

British Dictionary definitions for march (4 of 6)

British Dictionary definitions for march (5 of 6)

British Dictionary definitions for march (6 of 6)

Other Idioms and Phrases with march