[f. EMBATTLE v.1 + -ING1.] The action of the verb EMBATTLE1; a. arraying (troops) in order of battle b. taking up a position for fighting.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. viii. (1557), 21. The … embattaylynge of his enemies.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, III. ii. 47. These sundry sorts of imbattailling of men.
1611. Chapman, Iliad, XVI. 154/221. Th’ embattelling of horse, and foote.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, III. vi. (1715), 58. The Macedonians were the most famous for this Way of Imbattelling.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 502, ¶ 5. To enumerate … the embattling of armies … would be to transgress the bounds of this paper.
pl. 1677. Earl Orrery, Art of War, 8. The Velites … both in the Embattellings and Campings … were mixt with the other three [bodies].
