26984 words

fight

11 definitions • 44 examples
1
to use physical force to try to defeat another person or group of people:

Examples:

There were children fighting in the playground.
The soldiers fought from house to house.
fight with He was spotted fighting with a photographer outside a nightclub.
They fought with (= on the side of) the North during the Civil War.
fight against The army fought against the rebels along the eastern border.
fight over The birds were fighting over (= competing for) a scrap of food.
fight like cats and dogs They fight like cats and dogs (= fight or argue very angrily and violently).
fight to the death They fought to the death (= until everyone on one side was dead or completely defeated).
fight to the bitter end They will fight to the bitter end and finally die at the barricades.
2
to use a lot of effort to defeat or achieve something, or to stop something happening:

Examples:

He fought the disease bravely for three years.
fight crime We need the public's help in fighting crime.
fight against He fought against racism.
Vitamin C is thought to help fight colds and flu.
fight for They had to fight hard for improvements to the road system.
fight for your life One of the passengers was fighting for her life (= so ill or injured that she might die) last night after receiving multiple injuries in the collision.
fight for its life With debts of over $2 million, the corporation is fighting for its life (= people are trying hard to stop it being destroyed).
I had to fight (= try hard not to show or produce) the tears when he said he was leaving.
3
to argue:

Examples:

I wish they wouldn't fight in front of the kids.
fight about I could hear them fighting about money again.
fight with At work, he was always fighting with his colleagues.
4
in sports such as boxing and wrestling, to compete against another fighter to try to win a competition:

Examples:

He hopes to fight the WBC middleweight champion in July.
fight for He will fight for the heavyweight title later this year.
5
an argument or an occasion when someone uses physical force to try to defeat someone:

Examples:

get into a fight Jeff's always getting into fights.
start a fight He was suspended from school for starting a fight.
break up a fight The older boys broke up (= stopped) the fight.
fight with He had a scar on his cheek from a fight with a boy at school.
put up a fight He put up a fight when the police tried to arrest him.
6
a situation in which you use a lot of effort to defeat someone or achieve something, or to stop something happening:

Examples:

the fight against We must continue the fight against homelessness.
fight with He died last week after a long fight with cancer.
put up a good fight They put up a good fight (= played well) against a more experienced team.
put up a fight against The home team failed to put up a fight against United.
7

Examples:

title fight Williams is preparing for his world heavyweight title fight next month.
win a fight Thompson won his first four professional fights.
the fight Do you have tickets for the big fight?
8
the wish or ability to fight or act energetically:

Examples:

The team came out on the field full of fight.
9
to argue with or use force against another person or a group of people, or to oppose something:

Examples:

[ T ] Rebels have been fighting fierce battles with government forces.
[ I ] They’re fighting against some powerful organizations.
[ I ] She’s willing to fight for a more just society.
[ I ] Those two little kids were fighting over a toy.
[ T ] Gordon has been fighting an uphill battle to attract investors.
10
Two people who fight may be boxing:

Examples:

[ T ] Lewis will fight Akinwande for the heavyweight title.
11
an argument, or an occasion when someone uses force to defeat someone or oppose something:

Examples:

Isabelle is looking for a fight.
A patient’s attitude is important in the fight against the disease.
Have you got tickets for the fight (= a competition between two boxers)?

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