civil war
Preserved but no longer current.
Wai? between citizens (civiles)* In English history the term is applied to the war between Charles I and his Parliament; but the War of the Roses was a civil war also. In America, the War of Secession (1861-65).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “civil war” mean?
Wai? between citizens (civiles)* In English history the term is applied to the war between Charles I and his Parliament; but the War of the Roses was a civil war also. In America, the War of Secession (1861-65).
Is “civil war” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.