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| fight [ fīt ] |
verb (past fought [ fawt ], past participle fought, present participle fight·ing, 3rd person present singular fights) |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb use violence: to use violent physical means such as blows with fists or a weapon to try to overpower somebody
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2. transitive and intransitive verb go to war: to go to war, or engage in armed conflict with another country, force, or group
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3. intransitive verb take part in war: to take part in a war or battle, e.g. as a member or unit of the armed forces involved in it
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4. transitive verb carry on battle or contest: to enter into or carry on a battle or other contest such as an election or court case
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5. intransitive verb struggle determinedly: to make a strenuous effort to do, obtain, achieve, or defend something
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6. transitive and intransitive verb oppose something: to make vigorous efforts to oppose, resist, or overcome something or somebody
  fight injustice
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7. intransitive verb argue: to quarrel with somebody or with each other
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8. transitive and intransitive verb box against somebody: to take part in a boxing match against somebody
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noun (plural fights) |
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1. violent encounter: a conflict between individual people or groups in which each tries to do physical harm to, or defeat, the other
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2. major effort: a determined attempt to achieve something or resist something or somebody
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3. verbal confrontation: a verbal dispute or quarrel
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4. propensity to fight: the ability or willingness to continue a battle or struggle
We've still got a lot of fight left in us.
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5. boxing match: a boxing match or similar contest
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| [ Old English feohtan "to fight" < W Germanic] |
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| fight·a·ble adjective |
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fight it out to fight or argue until a decisive result is obtained
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fight shy of something to try to avoid something
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| Word Key: Synonyms |
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fight, battle, war, conflict, engagement, skirmish, clash
CORE MEANING: a struggle between opposing armed forces
fight a physical struggle between individual people or groups such as battalions or armies;
During the fight, the soldier overpowered the guard and captured his rifle.
The fight for the village was part of an operation against rebel resistance.
battle a large-scale fight between armed forces involving combat between armies, warships, or aircraft;
killed in the Battle of the Bulge
Her brother was one of the casualties of the land battle.
war a period of hostile relations between countries, states, or factions that leads to fighting between armed forces, especially in land, air, or sea battles;
at the outbreak of war
a long-running civil war
the war years
the post-war period
conflict warfare between opposing forces, especially a prolonged and bitter but sporadic struggle;
an end to bloody conflict in the region
a border conflict with sporadic troop clashes
armed conflict
engagement a hostile encounter involving military forces;
Planes attacked artillery and command sites in the largest military engagement of the war to date.
skirmish an incident where fighting breaks out briefly between two small groups, sometimes as part of a larger battle;
a skirmish with guerrillas in which several men were killed
The last skirmish in the three-day battle came just after midnight.
clash a short fierce encounter with another person or group, often involving physical combat;
tried to avoid a clash of arms
The meeting was marred by a clash between the demonstrators and security guards. |
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