ENGLISH
REFERENCE

truce

n.
US //ˈtɹus// UK //tɹˈuːs// truce
  1. 1 agreement to stop fighting (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an agreement between enemies to stop fighting for a while.

    a formal or informal agreement between opposing parties to suspend active hostilities for a specific duration.

    Example

    The two countries signed a temporary truce to allow civilians to leave the city safely.

    Example

    The fragile truce held for several weeks, providing a vital window for humanitarian aid to reach the besieged population before negotiations resumed.

  2. 2 personal argument (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a short break from an argument or disagreement between friends or family.

    a temporary suspension of a personal dispute or social conflict.

    Example

    The siblings called a truce for the afternoon so they could enjoy their mother's birthday party.

    Example

    After months of bickering over the inheritance, the cousins finally declared a truce to focus on the more pressing matter of the estate sale.

Origin

From Middle English trewes, triwes, trues, plural of trewe, triewe, true (“faithfulness, assurance, pact”), from Old English trēowa, singularized plural of trēow, trȳw (“faith; pledge; agreement”), from Proto-West Germanic treuwu, from Proto-Germanic trewwō (compare Dutch trouw, German Treue, Danish tro, French trêve [< Germanic]), noun form of *triwwiz (“trusty, faithful”). More at true.

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