fight (fights plural & 3rd person present) (fighting present participle) (fought past tense & past participle )
1 verb If you fight something unpleasant, you try in a determined way to prevent it or stop it happening.
More units to fight forest fires are planned... V n
I've spent a lifetime fighting against racism and prejudice. V against n
Fight is also a noun., n-count oft N against n
...the fight against drug addiction.
2 verb If you fight for something, you try in a determined way to get it or achieve it.
Our Government should be fighting for an end to food subsidies... V for n
I told him how we had fought to hold on to the company... V to-inf
The team has fought its way to the cup final. V way prep/adv
Fight is also a noun., n-count usu N for n
(=battle)
I too am committing myself to continue the fight for justice.
3 v-recip If an army or group fights a battle with another army or group, they oppose each other with weapons. You can also say that two armies or groups fight a battle.
The two men fought a battle over land and water rights... pl-n V n over/for n
In the latest incident at the weekend police fought a gun battle with a gang which used hand grenades against them... V n with n
The Sioux had always fought other tribes for territorial rights. V n for/over n, Also pl-n V, V n
4 verb If a person or army fights in a battle or a war, they take part in it.
He fought in the war and was taken prisoner by the Americans... V
If I were a young man I would sooner go to prison than fight for this country... V for n
My father did leave his university to fight the Germans... V n
Last month rebels fought their way into the capital. V way prep/adv
→
dogfight
fighting n-uncount
More than nine hundred people have died in the fighting.
5 v-recip If one person fights with another, or fights them, the two people hit or kick each other because they want to hurt each other. You can also say that two people fight.
As a child she fought with her younger sister... V with n
I did fight him, I punched him but it was like hitting a wall... V n
He wrenched the crutch from Jacob, who didn't fight him for it... V n for n
I refuse to act that way when my kids fight... pl-n V
You get a lot of unruly drunks fighting each other. pl-n V pron-recip
Fight is also a noun., n-count oft N with n
He had had a fight with Smith and bloodied his nose.
6 v-recip If one person fights with another, or fights them, they have an angry disagreement or quarrel. You can also say that two people fight.
INFORMAL
(=quarrel, argue)
She was always arguing with him and fighting with him... V with n
Gwendolen started fighting her teachers... V n
Mostly, they fight about paying bills. pl-n V about/over n, Also pl-n V, V with n prep, V n prep
Fight is also a noun., n-count
We think maybe he took off because he had a big fight with his dad the night before.
7 verb If you fight your way to a place, you move towards it with great difficulty, for example because there are a lot of people or obstacles in your way.
(=battle)
I fought my way into a carriage just before the doors closed... V way prep/adv
8 n-count A fight is a boxing match.
(=bout)
The referee stopped the fight.
9 verb To fight means to take part in a boxing match.
In a few hours' time one of the world's most famous boxers will be fighting in Britain for the first time... V
I'd like to fight him because he's undefeated and I want to be the first man to beat him... V n
I'd like to fight him for the title. V n for n
10 verb If you fight an election, you are a candidate in the election and try to win it.
The former party treasurer helped raise almost £40 million to fight the election campaign. V n
11 n-count You can use fight to refer to a contest such as an election or a sports match. (JOURNALISM) usu sing
(=contest)
...the fight for power between the two parties.
12 verb If you fight a case or a court action, you make a legal case against someone in a very determined way, or you put forward a defence when a legal case is made against you.
Watkins sued the Army and fought his case in various courts for 10 years... V n
The newspaper is fighting a damages action brought by the actress. V n
13 n-uncount Fight is the desire or ability to keep fighting.
I thought that we had a lot of fight in us.
14 verb If you fight an emotion or desire, you try very hard not to feel it, show it, or act on it, but do not always succeed.
I desperately fought the urge to giggle... V n
He fought with the urge to smoke one of the cigars he'd given up awhile ago... V with n
He fought to be patient with her. V to-inf
15 If you describe someone as fighting fit, you are emphasizing that they are very fit or healthy.
(BRIT)
fighting fit phrase v-link PHR (emphasis)
After a good night's sleep I feel fighting fit again.
16 Someone who is fighting for their life is making a great effort to stay alive, either when they are being physically attacked or when they are very ill.
fight for one's life phrase V inflects
He is still fighting for his life in hospital.
17
→
to fight a losing battle
→
battle fight back
1 phrasal verb If you fight back against someone or something that is attacking or harming you, you resist them actively or attack them.
The teenage attackers fled when the two men fought back... V P
We should take some comfort from the ability of the judicial system to fight back against corruption. V P against n
2 phrasal verb If you fight back an emotion or a desire, you try very hard not to feel it, show it, or act on it.
She fought back the tears. V P n (not pron), Also V n P fight off
1 phrasal verb If you fight off something, for example an illness or an unpleasant feeling, you succeed in getting rid of it and in not letting it overcome you.
(=resist)
Unfortunately these drugs are quite toxic and hinder the body's ability to fight off infection... V P n (not pron)
All day she had fought off the impulse to telephone Harry. V P n (not pron), Also V n P
2 phrasal verb If you fight off someone who has attacked you, you fight with them, and succeed in making them go away or stop attacking you.
The woman fought off the attacker. V P n (not pron), Also V n P fight out phrasal verb If two people or groups fight something out, they fight or argue until one of them wins.
Instead of retaliating, he walks away leaving his team-mates to fight it out... pl-n V it P
Malcolm continued to fight it out with Julien from his self-imposed exile in Paris. V it P with n, Also pl-n V P n (not pron), V P n with n
