verb, noun
verb (fought, fought )
in war / battle
1 ~ (against sb) to take part in a war or battle against an enemy:
[V] soldiers trained to fight * He fought in Vietnam. * My grandfather fought against the Fascists in Spain. * [VN] to fight a war / battle * They gathered soldiers to fight the invading army.
struggle / hit
2 to struggle physically with sb:
[V] My little brothers are always fighting. * She'll fight like a tiger to protect her children. [also VN]
in contest
3 ~ sb/sth (for sth) to take part in a contest against sb:
[VN] to fight an election / a campaign * [V] She's fighting for a place in the national team.
oppose
4 to try hard to stop, deal with or oppose sth bad:
[VN] to fight racism / corruption / poverty * Workers are fighting the decision to close the factory. * [V] We will fight for as long as it takes.
try to get / do sth
5 ~ (for sth) to try very hard to get sth or to achieve sth:
[V] He's still fighting for compensation after the accident. * [VN] She gradually fought her way to the top of the company. * [Vtoinf] Doctors fought for more than six hours to save his life.
argue
6 [V] ~ (with sb) (about / over sth) to have an argument with sb about sth:
It's a trivial matter and not worth fighting about. * I remember lying in bed listening to my parents fighting.
in boxing
7 to take part in a boxing match:
[V] Doctors fear he may never fight again following his injury. [also VN]
law
8 [VN] ~ sb (for sth) to try to get what you want in a court of law:
He fought his wife for custody of the children. * I'm determined to fight the case.
fighting noun [U]:
Fighting broke out in three districts of the city last night. * outbreaks of street fighting * prize fighting (= fighting in boxing matches for money)
IDIOMS
fight fire with fire to use similar methods in a fight or an argument to those your opponent is using
fight for (your) life to make a great effort to stay alive, especially when you are badly injured or seriously ill:
A young cyclist is fighting for his life after the accident.
a fighting chance a small chance of being successful if a great effort is made:
We still have a fighting chance of beating them and winning the Cup. * If you win this round then you still have a fighting chance.
fighting fit extremely fit or healthy
fighting spirit a feeling that you are ready to fight very hard for sth or to try sth difficult
fighting talk comments or remarks that show that you are ready to fight very hard for sth:
What we want from the management is fighting talk.
fight a losing battle to try to do sth that you will probably never succeed in doing:
I'm fighting a losing battle against the mess in this house!
fight shy of sth / of doing sth to be unwilling to accept sth or do sth, and to try to avoid it:
Successive governments have fought shy of such measures.
fight to the death / finish to fight until one of the two people or groups is dead, or until one person or group defeats the other
fight tooth and nail to fight in a very determined way for what you want:
The residents are fighting tooth and nail to stop the new development.
fight your own battles to be able to win an argument or get what you want without anyone's help:
I wouldn't get involved-he's old enough to fight his own battles.
moreatLIVE
PHRASALVERBS
fight back (against sb/sth) to resist strongly or attack sb who has attacked you:
Don't let them bully you. Fight back! * It is time to fight back against street crime.
fight sth<->back / down to try hard not to do or show sth, especially not to show your feelings:
She fought back the urge to run. * He fought down his disgust.
fight sb/sth<->off to resist sb/sth by fighting against them/it:
The jeweller was stabbed as he tried to fight the robbers off.
fight out sth
