state of war: Meaning and Definition of
state' of war'
- a condition marked by armed conflict between or among states, existing whether or not war has been declared formally by any of the belligerents.
- a legal condition initiated and concluded by formal declaration, and not necessarily involving armed conflict.
- the duration of such a condition.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.