Victory, n.; pl. Victories.
Etymology: [OE. victorie, OF. victorie, victoire, F. victoire, L. victoria. See Victor.]
The defeat of an enemy in battle, or of an antagonist in any contest; a gaining of the superiority in any struggle or competition; conquest; triumph; -- the opposite of Ant: defeat. Death is swallowed up in victory. 1 Cor. xv. 54. God on our side, doubt not of victory. Shak. Victory may be honorable to the arms, but shameful to the counsels, of a nation. Bolingbroke.
Shades of meaning
Victory is the state resulting from the overcoming of an opponent or opponents in any contest, or from the overcoming of difficulties, obstacles, evils, etc., considered as opponents or enemies. In the latter sense any hard-won achievement, advantage, or success may be termed a victory. In conquest and mastery there is implied a permanence of state that is not implied in victory. Triumph, originally denoting the public rejoicing in honor of a victory, has come to signify also a peculiarly exultant, complete, and glorious victory. Compare conquer.