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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Battalion \Bat*tal"ion\ (b[a^]t*t[a^]l"y[u^]n; 106), n. [F.
bataillon, fr. It. battaglione. See {Battalia}.]
1. A body of troops; esp. a body of troops or an army in
battle array. [archaic] "The whole battalion views."
--Milton.
[1913 Webster PJC]

2. (Mil.) An infantry command of two or more companies, which
is the tactical unit of the infantry, or the smallest
command which is self-supporting upon the battlefield, and
also the unit in which the strength of the infantry of an
army is expressed.
[1913 Webster]

Note: In the United States army, since April 29, 1898, a
battalion consists of four companies, and three
battalions form a regiment. The term is also applied to
two or more batteries of artillery combined into a
single command.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]


Battalion \Bat*tal"ion\, v. t.
To form into battalions. [R.]
[1913 Webster]