INDEX:
when people fight each other
1. when people fight each other
2. to start a fight
3. behaving in a way that is likely to start a fight
4. a fight
5. a fight involving a large number of people
6. when people fight as a sport
when you try to change something
7. to fight for something you think is right or against something you think is wrong
8. to fight against someone powerful or something bad
9. when someone fights for or against something
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ ATTACK
↑ ARGUE
↑ WAR
↑ HIT
↑ VIOLENT
↑ WEAPON
↑ UNCONSCIOUS
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1. when people fight each other
▷ fight /faɪt/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if people fight, or if one person fights another, they hit or kick each other in order to hurt each other :
▪ Two men were fighting in the street outside.
▪ He said he’d fight anyone who tried to stop him entering.
fight with
▪ Billy had been fighting with some kids from another school.
fight over/about
▪ Two men in the bar began fighting over a game of cards.
▪ As kids, we fought about everything, but now we’re pretty good friends.
▷ have a fight /hæv ə ˈfaɪt/ [verb phrase]
to fight with another person :
▪ The two girls had a fist fight in the school cafeteria.
have a fight with
▪ He ran away from school after he had a fight with a bigger boy.
▷ struggle /ˈstrʌg ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to fight someone who is attacking you or holding you, especially so that you can escape from them :
▪ She tried to struggle but he put his hand over her mouth.
struggle to do something
▪ Vince struggled to free himself from the policeman’s grip.
struggle with
▪ It seems that he struggled with the robber and got quite seriously hurt.
struggle against
▪ The victim had obviously struggled furiously against her attacker.
▷ wrestle /ˈres ə l/ [intransitive verb]
to fight someone by holding, pulling, or pushing them rather than hitting them :
▪ The two boys wrestled for a while then gave up, tired.
wrestle with
▪ His jaw was broken while he tried to wrestle with a drunken bus driver.
▷ come to blows /ˌkʌm tə ˈbləʊz/ [verb phrase]
if two people come to blows, they start fighting after an argument or when both people are very angry :
▪ Police say they don’t know what the two were arguing about, only that it came to blows.
▷ clash /klæʃ/ [intransitive verb]
if two groups of people, especially people with opposing opinions or aims, clash, they fight for a short time :
▪ Animal rights activists and fox-hunters clashed at the annual Boxing Day hunt.
▪ Police clashed with demonstrators for the second time in a week.
2. to start a fight
▷ start a fight /ˌstɑːʳt ə ˈfaɪt/ [verb phrase]
▪ Don’t talk to him -- he’s just trying to start a fight.
▪ The fight was started by a group of English football fans.
▷ pick a fight /ˌpɪk ə ˈfaɪt/ [verb phrase]
to deliberately start a fight with someone, especially by arguing with them or saying rude things to them :
▪ Some of the students regularly try to pick fights in the playground.
pick a fight with
▪ I walked into the bar and some drunk tried to pick a fight with me.
▷ be looking/spoiling for a fight/itching for a fight /biː ˌlʊkɪŋ, spɔɪlɪŋ fər ə ˈfaɪt, ˌɪtʃɪŋ fər ə ˈfaɪt/ [verb phrase]
to want to get rid of angry or violent feelings by fighting or trying to start a fight :
▪ When he’s drunk , he gets violent and starts looking for a fight.
▪ The other driver came at me, obviously spoiling for a fight.
▪ He’s not the kind of guy that goes into a bar itching for a fight.
3. behaving in a way that is likely to start a fight
▷ aggressive /əˈgresɪv/ [adjective]
behaving in an angry and threatening way that is likely to start a fight :
▪ The men were drunk and aggressive.
▪ Some breeds of dog, such as German shepherds, were bred to be aggressive.
aggressively [adverb]
▪ He glared aggressively at me.
aggression /əˈgreʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
▪ When parents divorce, children often respond with anger and aggression.
▷ belligerent /bɪˈlɪdʒərənt, bəˈlɪdʒərənt/ [adjective] formal
wanting to fight or argue, especially in order to prove that you are right, the best, the most important etc :
▪ When police officers questioned him, he became belligerent and tried to hit one of them.
▪ Harris is a belligerent man with an explosive temper.
4. a fight
▷ fight /faɪt/ [countable noun]
▪ There was a massive fight after school yesterday.
in a fight
▪ Three of his ribs were broken in a fight.
get into a fight
▪ He had been at the pub for several hours before getting into a fight with another man.
a fight breaks out
▪ A couple of fights broke out near the stadium after the game.
be in a fight
▪ How did you get that black eye? Were you in a fight?
▷ punch-up /ˈpʌntʃ ʌp/ [countable noun] British informal
a fight :
▪ He ended up in jail after a punch-up with a bloke in the pub.
get into a punch-up
▪ Some drunks began calling us names and we ended up getting into a punch-up.
▷ brawl /brɔːl/ [countable noun]
a fight between a group of people in a public place, especially when they are drunk :
▪ No one was injured in the brawl, which police quickly stopped.
▪ He got his face cut in a brawl outside a nightclub.
▷ scuffle /ˈskʌf ə l/ [countable noun]
a short fight that is not very violent and which usually only involves people pushing each other :
▪ There was a brief scuffle as the crowd left the football ground.
a scuffle breaks out
starts suddenly
▪ Rioters threw stones at the police and a few scuffles broke out.
▷ scrap /skræp/ [countable noun]
a short fight, especially between children :
▪ Scraps in the playground are a pretty frequent occurrence.
have a scrap
▪ It’s normal for brothers and sisters to have a few scraps. It’s part of growing up.
▷ altercation /ˌɔːltəʳˈkeɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun] formal
a short noisy argument or fight, especially one that is not serious :
▪ There was a brief altercation and someone called the police.
5. a fight involving a large number of people
▷ fighting /ˈfaɪtɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
when a lot of people fight each other in a public place :
▪ There was fighting on the streets of Paris yesterday when police and demonstrators clashed.
fighting between
▪ Fighting between rival gangs resulted in the death of a teenage boy.
fighting breaks out
starts
▪ Fighting broke out between English and Dutch football fans after the game.
▷ riot /ˈraɪət/ [countable noun]
an uncontrolled violent fight in a public place that involves a large number of people and usually damage to property, cars etc, especially among people who are protesting about something :
▪ There were riots in several cities after it was announced that the price of bread would rise by 200%.
▪ Four days of unrest and anti-government riots left at least three people dead.
a riot breaks out
starts
▪ A riot broke out after a police shooting of a local man.
▷ battle /ˈbætl/ [countable noun]
a fight between two large groups of people :
▪ He was killed in a street battle in 1998.
battle between
▪ a battle between rival gangs
pitched battle
a very violent fight
▪ About 200 students fought pitched battles with police during the demonstrations.
▷ clash /klæʃ/ [countable noun]
a short fight between two groups of people who have opposing opinions or aims :
▪ The clashes came as farmers blockaded roads.
clash between
▪ There were clashes last night between local residents and young people attending the rock festival.
▷ confrontation /ˌkɒnfrənˈteɪʃ ə nǁˌkɑːn-/ [countable noun]
a situation in which there is a lot of angry disagreement between two groups, which may develop into a fight :
▪ The police were obviously anticipating a confrontation, as they were heavily armed.
▷ free-for-all /ˌfriː fər ˈɔːl/ [singular noun]
a fight that a lot of people in a crowd join, especially when they have no particular reason to be fighting each other :
▪ After Mathews was attacked, a free-for-all broke out in the audience.
6. when people fight as a sport
▷ fight /faɪt/ [countable noun]
a game in which two people hit each other or try to throw each other onto the ground :
▪ He knocked out his opponent only five minutes into the fight.
the big fight
an important fight
▪ Are you going to watch the big fight tomorrow?
fight between
▪ the fight between Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano
▷ fight /faɪt/ [transitive verb]
to take part in a sport in which you hit your opponent or try to throw him or her onto the ground :
▪ McCallum and Toney fought to a draw.
▪ The two wrestlers have fought each other many times before.
▷ boxing /ˈbɒksɪŋǁˈbɑːk-/ [uncountable noun]
a sport in which two people wearing special thick gloves hit each other and try to make the other person fall to the ground :
▪ As a teenager, Dolittle took up boxing.
boxing match
▪ The boxing match will be held at the Arena.
▷ wrestling /ˈreslɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
sport in which two people hold each other and try to throw each other onto the ground :
▪ Sumo wrestling originated in Japan.
wrestling match
▪ He won six high-school wrestling matches in a row.
wrestler [countable noun]
someone who does wrestling :
▪ a professional wrestler
7. to fight for something you think is right or against something you think is wrong
▷ fight /faɪt/ [transitive verb]
to try hard for a long time to stop something bad from happening or to improve a situation :
▪ We are determined to fight drug abuse in schools.
fight for
▪ Freedom of speech is something well worth fighting for.
fight to do something
▪ Mandela fought to abolish white-only rule in South Africa.
fight against
▪ Amnesty is an organization that fights against torture and injustice.
▷ work /wɜːʳk/ [intransitive verb]
to work continuously and patiently to make changes that will improve society or the world :
work for
▪ The group has become a small but significant force working for change.
work to do something
▪ an organization that is working to preserve California’s redwood trees
work tirelessly
work very hard
▪ She will be remembered as someone who worked tirelessly for educational reform.
▷ campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/ [intransitive verb]
to work for a long time, for example making speeches, writing to newspapers and political representatives etc, in order to persuade people that something needs to be done :
▪ After months of campaigning, local parents have persuaded the council to provide a school bus service.
campaign for
▪ Women campaigned for equal pay and equal rights throughout the 1960s.
campaign to do something
▪ He was one of the people who campaigned to change the law on homosexuality.
campaigner [countable noun]
▪ During his years as a human rights campaigner he was arrested seven times.
▷ champion/be a champion of /ˈtʃæmpiən, biː ə ˈtʃæmpiən ɒv/ [transitive verb/verb phrase]
to publicly fight for and defend an aim or principle such as the rights of a group of people :
▪ Martin Luther King championed the rights of all black Americans.
▪ Throughout her political career she was a champion of prison reform.
▷ combat /ˈkɒmbæt, kəmˈbætǁkəmˈbæt, ˈkɑːmbæt/ [transitive verb]
to take action effectively in order to oppose something bad such as injustice, crime, or illness :
▪ The police are looking for more effective ways to combat drugs gangs in the city.
▪ Measures to combat pollution within the city have been introduced.
▪ The government sees price controls as a way to combat inflation.
▷ wage war on /ˌweɪdʒ ˈwɔːr ɒn/ [verb phrase]
if a government or organization wages war on something such as an illness, bad conditions, or crime, they fight against it for a long time in a very determined way :
▪ The World Health Organization is constantly waging war on malaria.
▪ We need a comprehensive strategy to wage war on poverty in our inner cities.
8. to fight against someone powerful or something bad
▷ fight/fight against /faɪt, ˈfaɪt əgenst/ [transitive verb/verb phrase]
▪ Residents are fighting the local council over plans for a new road.
▪ The community is struggling to fight against drug dealers and prostitution, in their effort to make the area a safer place to live.
▷ resist /rɪˈzɪst/ [transitive verb]
to fight in a very determined way against changes that you think will be unfair or could take people’s freedom away :
▪ By resisting the Mafia’s attempts to control the region, he was putting his own life in danger.
▪ The unions have resisted attempts to change the pay structure.
▷ resistance /rɪˈzɪst ə ns/ [uncountable noun]
when people fight in a very determined way against changes or a government that they think will be unfair or could take people’s freedom away :
▪ She became one of the symbols of resistance both at home and abroad.
resistance to
▪ There has been a lot of resistance to tax increases, even those designed to benefit education.
meet with resistance
cause resistance
▪ Any policy that creates unemployment is likely to meet with strong resistance.
▷ fight back /ˌfaɪt ˈbæk/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
to fight against someone who is doing something that harms you :
▪ Children are often powerless to fight back when they are treated unfairly.
▪ You must fight back if you become a victim of discrimination.
▪ This nation has been oppressed for too long, and it’s time we fought back.
▷ stand up to /ˌstænd ˈʌp tuː/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to refuse to accept bad or unfair treatment from someone, especially someone who is stronger or more powerful than you are :
▪ Aggressive bosses are less likely to criticize workers who stand up to them.
▪ He is respected as a leader who is willing to stand up to the West.
▷ put up a fight /ˌpʊt ʌp ə ˈfaɪt/ [verb phrase]
to fight in order to show that you are against something that you think is bad or unfair, even though you are not likely to succeed in stopping it :
▪ Although parents and local residents put up a fight, they couldn’t stop the school being closed.
▪ People are not going to accept being sent back to the war zone without putting up a fight.
▷ hold out against /ˌhəʊld ˈaʊt əgenst/ [transitive verb]
to fight for as long as possible against a change that someone powerful is trying to make, because you think it is wrong or unfair :
▪ The workers held out for several months against the closure of the mine, but they were eventually defeated.
▷ make a stand /ˌmeɪk ə ˈstænd/ [verb phrase]
to show publicly that you think something is wrong, and take action to stop it :
▪ If you’re not prepared to make a stand yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to.
make a stand against
▪ Gandhi and his followers made a determined stand against the racist and imperialist policies of the government.
▷ oppose /əˈpəʊz/ [transitive verb]
to fight against something such as a law or system that you think is wrong :
▪ Those who opposed the regime were put into prison or even executed.
▪ There will be a rally on September 22 for all those who oppose direct military action.
opposition /ˌɒpəˈzɪʃ ə nǁˌɑː-/ [uncountable noun]
▪ The newspaper became well known for its fierce opposition to apartheid.
9. when someone fights for or against something
▷ fight /faɪt/ [singular noun]
when people try hard for a long time to stop something bad from happening or to improve a situation :
fight against
▪ New laws have been passed to help the police in their fight against organized crime.
▪ The fight against malnutrition and preventable diseases must continue.
fight for
▪ Women’s fight for equality has not ended.
▪ He was a hero in the fight for independence from France.
▷ struggle /ˈstrʌg ə l/ [countable noun usually singular]
when people try for many years to get freedom, independence, or equal rights, and a lot of people suffer, are killed, or are put in prison :
▪ Many freedom fighters were imprisoned, but they never gave up the struggle.
struggle for
▪ Nkrumah led the people in their struggle for independence.
struggle against
▪ He devoted his life to the struggle against fascism and oppression.
▷ battle /ˈbætl/ [countable noun usually singular]
when a person or group tries hard for a long time to change a bad situation, or deal with a problem in society :
battle against
▪ The battle against racial discrimination is not over.
▪ The President is fully committed to the battle against the drug traffickers.
win the battle against something
▪ They now have a good chance of winning the battle against violence and drugs in the community.
▷ campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/ [countable noun]
a planned set of actions or events, such as public meetings, letters to the government etc, that is intended to persuade the public that something is bad or unfair and should be changed :
campaign for
▪ Motoring organizations have started a campaign for safer roads in the area.
▪ the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
campaign against
▪ Our campaign against drug abuse is supported by the medical profession.
vigorous campaign
a very strong campaign
▪ Clark’s vigorous campaign against the dumping of nuclear waste will continue.
launch/mount a campaign
start a campaign
▪ Environmental groups launched a campaign against the widespread production of genetically modified crops.
▷ crusade /kruːˈseɪd/ [countable noun]
a fight that someone continues for a long time, because they feel strongly that something is morally wrong and must be changed :
▪ As a politician she’s made the fight for women’s rights into a personal crusade.
crusade against
▪ She intends to continue her crusade against sex and violence on TV.
crusade for
▪ He has begun a crusade for gun control.
▷ cause /kɔːz/ [countable noun usually singular]
something such as a principle or political aim that people fight for - used especially by the people involved in fighting for it :
▪ Our cause is just, and we are prepared to give our lives for it.
cause of
▪ Thousands died in the cause of freedom.
▪ The cause of Socialism is not dead.
▷ drive /draɪv/ [countable noun]
a planned effort by an organization, government etc to achieve a change within a short time that will improve a particular situation :
▪ The Health Department launched an anti-smoking drive.
economy drive
a drive to reduce spending British
▪ The government’s economy drive has failed to produce the expected savings.