1 [no obj] a : to walk with regular steps as a group : to walk in the regular and organized way of soldiers
▪ The band marched onto the field. ▪ The soldiers were lined up and ordered to begin marching. ▪ Hundreds of people marched in the parade.
b always followed by an adverb or preposition : to go into, out of, or through a place as an army
▪ The army marched south to cut off the enemy's retreat. ▪ Enemy troops were marching on the city. [=they were coming toward the city to attack it] 2 [no obj] : to walk with a large group of people who are protesting or supporting something
▪ We marched for/against new elections. ▪ Demonstrators marched on City Hall to protest the war. 3 [no obj] : to walk somewhere quickly in a direct and forceful way
▪ He marched angrily out the door. ▪ I marched into the office and demanded an answer. ▪ She marched right up to me and asked what was wrong. 4 [+ obj] : to cause or force (a person) to walk somewhere
▪ They marched the prisoners through the streets of the city. ▪ We marched the children off to bed. [=we made the children go to bed] — see also frog-march