march
march Lexical Profile
march Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The third month of the year in the Gregorian calendar, consisting of 31 days and marking the transition from winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere (capitalized as March).
"The university semester break always takes place during the second week of March."
An act or instance of walking with a steady, regular stride, or an organized public procession or demonstration held to support or protest a cause.
"Thousands of citizens participated in the peaceful march through the city center to advocate for environmental protection."
A continuous, steady, and often unstoppable forward movement, progression, or development over time.
"The rapid march of digital technology has transformed how libraries archive historical documents."
A piece of musical composition with a strong, regular rhythm written in duple or quadruple time, originally designed to accompany an organized procession.
"The community band opened the summer concert with a lively brass march."
A frontier, borderland, or boundary territory situated between two countries or realms, historically exemplified by the Welsh Marches or Scottish Marches in Great Britain.
"Medieval castles were frequently constructed along the marches to monitor cross-border trade and travel."
• verb
To walk with a measured, regular, and rhythmic step, especially in an organized group or formation.
"The high school band practiced for weeks to march in formation during the autumn festival."
To walk briskly, decisively, and with a strong sense of purpose or determination.
"She marched into the director's office to present her proposal for the new community center."
To participate in an organized public walk or procession to express collective support or protest regarding a social or political issue.
"Students and faculty members marched together to call for increased funding for public education."
To proceed, advance, or pass steadily and inexorably (especially of time, history, or events).
"Time marches on regardless of how carefully we try to preserve the past."
To force or compel someone to walk swiftly to a specific place.
"The strict supervisor marched the tardy apprentices straight to the workshop floor."
• Rhymes for march
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense relating to walking and processions derives from Middle French 'marcher' (to walk or tread), likely of Frankish origin. The calendar month 'March' comes from Old French 'marz', from Latin 'Martius' (month of Mars, the Roman god of war), while the sense of a borderland derives separately from Old French 'marche', related to Old English 'mearc' (boundary or mark).