/bair"nuk"euhl/ , adj.
1. (of a prizefight, prizefighter, etc.) without boxing gloves; using the bare fists.
2. without conventional niceties; rough-and-tumble.
adv.
3. without boxing gloves.
4. in a rough-and-tumble manner.
Also, bareknuckled .
[ 1920-25; BARE 1 + KNUCKLE ]