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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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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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

How to use march in a sentence

It wasn’t just about turkey for Ames, or for many other providers feeding the millions of Americans pitched into hunger since March.
‘Can’t eat a gift card’: Rural food banks fight to put turkeys on the table|Kyle Swenson|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
His contract with the Virginia Department of Corrections ended in March, a spokesman said.
Woman sues after learning ‘anonymous’ sperm donor was her own fertility doctor|Rachel Weiner|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Alaska Airlines will take the first of its 32 aircraft in January and begin customer flights in March.
The Boeing 737 Max faces an even tougher hurdle now: passenger fear|kdunn6|November 19, 2020|Fortune
Back in March, when the first round of shutdowns took hold, she struggled to find basics such as paper towels, tissues and masks.
Shoppers are panic-buying toilet paper. This time, there should be enough to go around.|Laura Reiley, Abha Bhattarai|November 19, 2020|Washington Post

He was removed as provost in March and is no longer a member of the faculty.
University of Michigan reaches settlement with women who reported sexual harassment by former provost|Susan Svrluga|November 18, 2020|Washington Post
We were junketing all day and heard people marching outside.
Ava DuVernay on ‘Selma,’ the Racist Sony Emails, and Making Golden Globes History|Marlow Stern|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There were families, church groups, and college kids, all marching in clusters.
Sharpton Recalls Civil Rights Struggle in DC March Against Police Violence|Ben Jacobs|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One African American woman brandished a pocket-sized copy of the Constitution while marching.
Sharpton Recalls Civil Rights Struggle in DC March Against Police Violence|Ben Jacobs|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I looked around and I was marching next to a parent with two small white children.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Protesting|Rawiya Kameir, Judnick Mayard|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was able to be alone while not alone, processing the fact that while I was marching and chanting I could literally die.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Protesting|Rawiya Kameir, Judnick Mayard|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The road on which the Federals were marching was narrow and on each side lined with dense underbrush.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Rumors said that the enemy numbered thousands, and that they were already marching on the place.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Whilst Davout was marching and fighting to achieve his purpose, the main battle went against the French.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
We have had hard times, and hard marching through this rough country, but thanks be to God, I have escaped with a whole skin.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
In the campaign in Holland last war, a party marching through a swamp, was ordered to form two deep.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various

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

How to use march in a sentence

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