violent physical conflict between people, groups, or armies
The fighting in the streets forced families to stay indoors.
Heavy fighting broke out near the border at dawn.
✦ Derived from the Old English verb "fightan" meaning "to fight"; used as a gerund and later as a noun to refer to acts of combat.
ready for battle or showing strong determination to succeed despite difficulties
The team showed a fighting spirit and won the game.
She gave him a fighting chance to prove himself.
✦ Formed from the present participle of the verb "fight"; used adjectivally from the 16th century to describe readiness for combat or strong determination.
to hit, kick, or use weapons against someone in order to defeat or hurt them
Two boys started to fight in the schoolyard until a teacher stopped them.
The knights fought with swords during the medieval festival reenactment.
✦ Old English ‘feohtan’, of Germanic origin; related to German ‘fechten’ meaning ‘to fence’.
an act of physical combat in which people hit, kick, or use weapons against each other
There was a fight outside the club after midnight.
The soldiers prepared for the fight ahead.
to try very hard to stop something bad or to achieve something good
She fought to stay awake during the long lecture.
Doctors are fighting to save the patient’s life after the accident.
to compete strongly in order to win a game, prize, or position
The team will fight for the championship on Saturday.
She fought her way to first place in the chess tournament.
a noisy or angry disagreement between people
My parents had a fight about money last night.
The roommates got into a fight over the messy kitchen.
a serious effort to achieve something difficult or to stop something bad
The town began a fight to protect its old library from demolition.
Her fight against cancer inspired everyone around her.
the courage, energy, or spirit that makes someone keep trying
Even at eighty, the runner still has plenty of fight left in him.
The injured dog showed real fight and survived.
