Library / English Dictionary

FIGHT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected form: fought   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A boxing or wrestling match

Example:

the fight was on television last night

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fight" is a kind of...):

boxing; fisticuffs; pugilism (fighting with the fists)

Derivation:

fight (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

Example:

he lost his romantic ideas about war when he got into a real engagement

Synonyms:

battle; conflict; engagement; fight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fight" is a kind of...):

action; military action (a military engagement)

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fight"):

Armageddon (any catastrophically destructive battle)

pitched battle (a fierce battle fought in close combat between troops in predetermined positions at a chosen time and place)

naval battle (a pitched battle between naval fleets)

armed combat; combat (an engagement fought between two military forces)

dogfight (an aerial engagement between fighter planes)

assault (close fighting during the culmination of a military attack)

Instance hyponyms:

Battle of Britain (the prolonged bombardment of British cities by the German Luftwaffe during World War II and the aerial combat that accompanied it)

Drogheda (in 1649 the place was captured by Oliver Cromwell, who massacred the Catholic inhabitants)

Holonyms ("fight" is a part of...):

war; warfare (the waging of armed conflict against an enemy)

Derivation:

fight (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of fighting; any contest or struggle

Example:

the unhappy couple got into a terrible scrap

Synonyms:

combat; fight; fighting; scrap

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fight" is a kind of...):

battle; conflict; struggle (an open clash between two opposing groups (or individuals))

Meronyms (parts of "fight"):

blow (a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "fight"):

affaire d'honneur; duel (a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor)

fistfight; fisticuffs; slugfest (a fight with bare fists)

banging; battering (the act of subjecting to strong attack)

beating; whipping (the act of overcoming or outdoing)

affray; disturbance; fray; ruffle (a noisy fight)

brawl; free-for-all (a noisy fight in a crowd)

cut-and-thrust; knife fight; snickersnee (fighting with knives)

gang fight; rumble (a fight between rival gangs of adolescents)

single combat (a fight between two people)

dogfight; hassle; rough-and-tumble; scuffle; tussle (disorderly fighting)

impact; shock (the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat)

set-to (a brief but vigorous fight)

in-fighting (conflict between members of the same organization (usually concealed from outsiders))

fencing (the art or sport of fighting with swords (especially the use of foils or epees or sabres to score points under a set of rules))

dogfight (a violent fight between dogs (sometimes organized illegally for entertainment and gambling))

close-quarter fighting (hand-to-hand fighting at close quarters)

brush; clash; encounter; skirmish (a minor short-term fight)

gunfight; gunplay; shootout (a fight involving shooting small arms with the intent to kill or frighten)

Derivation:

fight (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An aggressive willingness to compete

Example:

the team was full of fight

Synonyms:

competitiveness; fight

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("fight" is a kind of...):

aggressiveness (the quality of being bold and enterprising)

Derivation:

fight (make a strenuous or labored effort)

Sense 5

Meaning:

An intense verbal dispute

Example:

a violent fight over the bill is expected in the Senate

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("fight" is a kind of...):

arguing; argument; contention; contestation; controversy; disceptation; disputation; tilt (a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement)

Derivation:

fight (fight against or resist strongly)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

Example:

Militant groups are contending for control of the country

Synonyms:

contend; fight; struggle

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

"Fight" entails doing...:

compete; contend; vie (compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fight"):

chicken-fight; chickenfight (fight while sitting on somebody's shoulders)

tourney (engage in a tourney)

feud (carry out a feud)

skirmish (engage in a skirmish)

bandy (exchange blows)

fence (fight with fencing swords)

box (engage in a boxing match)

spar (fight with spurs)

scuffle; tussle (fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters)

wrestle (engage in a wrestling match)

engage; wage (carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns))

bear down (exert full strength)

fistfight (fight with the fists)

join battle (engage in a conflict)

tug (struggle in opposition)

defend; fight; fight back; fight down; oppose (fight against or resist strongly)

get back; settle (get one's revenge for a wrong or an injury)

fight back (defend oneself)

battle; combat (battle or contend against in or as if in a battle)

war (make or wage war)

assail; attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

duel (fight a duel, as over one's honor or a woman)

joust (joust against somebody in a tournament by fighting on horseback)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

Sam and Sue fight

Sam cannot fight Sue

Also:

fight off (force or drive back)

Derivation:

fight (a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war)

fight (the act of fighting; any contest or struggle)

fight (a boxing or wrestling match)

fighter (a high-speed military or naval airplane designed to destroy enemy aircraft in the air)

fighter (someone who fights (or is fighting))

fighting (the act of fighting; any contest or struggle)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Fight against or resist strongly

Example:

Don't fight it!

Synonyms:

defend; fight; fight back; fight down; oppose

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "fight" is one way to...):

contend; fight; struggle (be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fight"):

recalcitrate (show strong objection or repugnance; manifest vigorous opposition or resistance; be obstinately disobedient)

fend; resist; stand (withstand the force of something)

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand (stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something)

drive back; fight off; rebuff; repel; repulse (force or drive back)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

fight (an intense verbal dispute)

fighter (a high-speed military or naval airplane designed to destroy enemy aircraft in the air)

fighter (someone who fights (or is fighting))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make a strenuous or labored effort

Example:

He fought for breath

Synonyms:

fight; struggle

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "fight" is one way to...):

assay; attempt; essay; seek; try (make an effort or attempt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fight"):

drive; labor; labour; push; tug (strive and make an effort to reach a goal)

flounder (behave awkwardly; have difficulties)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

fight (an aggressive willingness to compete)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for

Example:

The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate

Synonyms:

agitate; campaign; crusade; fight; press; push

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "fight" is one way to...):

advertise; advertize; promote; push (make publicity for; try to sell (a product))

Verb group:

advertise; advertize; promote; push (make publicity for; try to sell (a product))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

fighter (someone who fights for a cause)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Lysosomes are subcellular structures that play roles in optimizing nutrition and fighting infections and now, with these findings, in skin pigmentation.

(New regions of the human genome linked to skin color variation in some African populations, National Institutes of Health)

Arizona State University (ASU) and Mayo Clinic researchers have found that one type of clay, Oregon blue clay, may help fight disease-causing bacteria in wounds, including treatment-resistant bacteria.

(Clay fights MRSA, other 'superbugs' in wounds, National Science Foundation)

DLBCL is the most common type of lymphoma—cancer that arises in the lymphatic system, where infection-fighting cells are made.

(Tumor DNA in Blood Reveals Lymphoma Progression, NIH)

To help fight the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, many scientists have been trying to adapt these peptides as potential new drugs.

(Venom of Wasp, Bee Repurposed as Antibiotic Drug, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Yet was the bear not inclined to fight, for he turned away and made off slowly over the ice.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

This was to fight his way across the floor to the ladder.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

And now here's Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Wickham, wherever he meets him and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The Colonel possessed a varied collection of weapons brought from the different countries in which he had fought, and it is conjectured by the police that his club was among his trophies.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting against his emotion.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

No, no, we must find other ways to fight him.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)