v., marched, march·ing, march·es. v.intr.
- To walk steadily and rhythmically forward in step with others.
- To begin to move in such a manner: The troops will march at dawn.
- To proceed directly and purposefully: marched in and demanded to see the manager.
- To progress steadily onward; advance: Time marches on.
- To be arranged in an orderly fashion that suggests steady rhythmical progression.
- To participate in an organized walk, as for a public cause.
- To cause to move or otherwise progress in a steady rhythmical manner: march soldiers into battle; marched us off to the dentist.
- To traverse by progressing steadily and rhythmically: They marched the route in a day.
- The act of marching, especially:
- The steady forward movement of a body of troops.
- A long tiring journey on foot.
- Steady forward movement or progression: the march of time.
- A regulated pace: quick march; slow march.
- The distance covered within a certain period of time by moving or progressing steadily and rhythmically: a week's march away.
- Music. A composition in regularly accented, usually duple meter that is appropriate to accompany marching.
- An organized walk or procession by a group of people for a specific cause or issue.
on the march
- Advancing steadily; progressing: Technology is on the march.
- To get ahead of, especially by quiet enterprise.
[Middle English marchen, from Old French marchier, from Frankish *markōn, to mark out.]
march2 (märch)
n.
- The border or boundary of a country or an area of land; a frontier.
- A tract of land bordering on two countries and claimed by both.
To have a common boundary: England marches with Scotland.
[Middle English, from Old French marche, of Germanic origin.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
