From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfightfight1 /faɪt/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense and past participle fought /fɔːt $ fɒːt/) 1 war [intransitive, transitive]WAR to take part in a war or battlefight in the families of those who fought in the warfight against/with rebel forces fighting against the Russiansfight about/over/for They fought for control of the islands. Neither country is capable of fighting a long war. Later the Indians fought the Anglo settlers.GRAMMAR: Reciprocal verbsFight is a reciprocal verb. This type of verb is used when saying that two or more people or groups do something that involves both or all of them. It does not need to have an object: The Republicans and the Nationalists fought. In this sentence, fight is intransitive and does not have an object. You can also say: The Republicans and the Nationalists fought each other.The Republicans fought the Nationalists. In these sentences, fight is transitive.2 hit people [intransitive, transitive]FIGHT if someone fights another person, or if two people fight, they hit and kick the other person in order to hurt themfight with Two guys were fighting with each other in the street.fight about/over/for They were fighting over a girl. She fought him desperately, kicking and biting.3 try to do something [intransitive, transitive] to try hard to do or get somethingfight for The men were fighting for higher wages. Stockley is fighting for his life (=trying to stay alive), with serious head injuries. She fought her way back into the first team.fight to do something The president was fighting to survive.4 prevent something [intransitive, transitive] to try very hard to prevent something or to get rid of something unpleasant that already existsfight against People are fighting against repression and injustice. We will fight terrorism, wherever it exists.5 compete [intransitive, transitive]COMPETE WITH/TRY TO BEAT to take part in an election or compete strongly for something, especially a job or political positionfight an election/a campaign The prime minister decided to fight an early general election.fight (somebody) for something He had to fight several other applicants for the job. Both men were used to fighting for power. 6 argue [intransitive]ARGUE to argue about somethingfight with I heard her fighting with the boss.fight about/over They’re fighting about who should do the dishes.7 DSsport [intransitive, transitive] to take part in a boxing match Ali fought Foreman for the heavyweight title.8 emotion [intransitive, transitive]PREVENT to try very hard not to have or show a feeling She fought her fear.fight with She was clearly fighting with her emotions.9 law [transitive] to try to get something or prevent something in a court of law The insurance company are fighting the claims in court.10 → fight your way (through/past etc somebody/something)11 → fight a losing battle12 → have a fighting chance13 → fight tooth and nail (for something)/fight something tooth and nail14 → fight to the death/finish15 → fight your own battles16 → fighting spirit17 → fighting words/talk18 → fight fire with fire19 → fight like cat and dog20 → fighting fit21 → fight your corner22 → fight shy of (doing) something → fight back → fight something ↔ down → fight somebody/something ↔ off → fight something out→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
fight• Pancho Villa fought a battle near here.• As kids, we fought about everything, but now we're pretty good friends.• If you two don't stop fighting about what to watch I'm going to send you to your room.• Neil Phillips will now fight Adams for leadership of the party.• Amnesty is an organization that fights against torture and injustice.• My mother and my grandmother fight all the time.• The children fought and pushed in line.• The Prime Minister has decided to stay on to fight another election.• He said he'd fight anyone who tried to stop him entering.• I argued, I fought, but he wanted to believe that happiness was impossible; it gave him some strange consolation.• Adult gangs did fight, but not with innocent people or bystanders.• If you want the job, you'll have to fight for it.• Our fathers, our grandfathers fought for that.• Most of these young soldiers don't even know what they're fighting for.• Freedom of speech is something well worth fighting for.• Kerry's parents are always fighting -- I'm not surprised she left home.• My grandfather fought in World War II.• His grandfather fought on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War.• As no man can serve two masters we had long been told no wise general tries to fight on two fronts.• He has even fought skeleton warriors with Jason and the Argonauts.• The Boers were fighting the British at this time.• Civil rights groups have vowed to fight the changes.• Conversely, if middle-class parents stay, if they stay and fight, they can turn things around.• Burke, for one, is committed to fighting this social dis-ease.• McCallum and Toney fought to a draw.• Mandela fought to abolish white-only rule in South Africa.• For a few minutes we fought wildly.• Billy had been fighting with some kids from another school.fighting ... war• It proved a fitting finale to what had been the first period of sustained fighting in the war.• Repercussions from the war roll far beyond the sorrow of families directly touched by 15 months of fighting.• Perhaps when we stopped asking what it meant to be fighting a war in Northern Ireland.• Mr Makoni has admitted that Harare has spent $ 190m fighting the war in the past two years.• Remember those soldiers who stopped fighting the Great War to play football across the Flanders trenches and exchange sweeties?• Either that or we could go on fighting wars to protect our foreign supplies.• Today, it is fighting the same war, with the same leaders, as 20 years ago.fight about/over/for• But we who are pro-choice have to remember exactly what it is we are fighting for.• During the battle with Sauron's warriors the Dead Host sail up to fight for Aragorn.• In the background, the fight for control of L Detachment was still rumbling on.• They fight for justice for a woman who was harassed by her boss at the workplace.• The organic movement has always fought for the continued availability of unpasteurised milk.• Mmembers themselves say being part of a national union gives them a voice to fight for their rights.• They fight for those who have been cheated by their landlords and manipulated by their banks.• Everybody knows that everything Red Cloud was fighting for was conceded by this treaty.fight to do something• Sweat dripped off me as I fought to achieve a stable altitude above the ground.• Piper squirmed between them for a moment, fighting to get free, then went limp.• Together they fought to keep the tax subsidy for churches in Connecticut and Massachusetts.• She saw his hands curl into white-knuckled fists and knew he was fighting to keep them at his sides.• In the sea, living things fight to keep water out.• I was fighting to protect my country against every surprise.• Armstrong is now fighting to recover, and the extent to which the damage in his arm is permanent remains in question.• I had to really fight to stay awake, I was so tired.• While not explicit, many implied that they would indeed fight to the death for their managing director.fight against• However, when fighting against another rattlesnake it does not use its poison fangs.• Conservative voters led a fight against forced school busing.• Appalled, I fought against him, pressing myself back, making my body leaden.• She fought against looking at women, seeing them the way she wanted to know and-be with them.• He fought against the prior violence of hunger, sickness, subjugation.• He fought against the sensation that Molland had strapped him on a sort of conveyor belt in a factory that processed death.• The best way to fight against the threat of nuclear war is to fight for socialism through class-struggle means.fight about/over• The three are fighting over control of the provincial assemblies, which will be important in the run-up to the election.• But Buchanan, Alexander and Forbes seemed intent on fighting over everything from immigration to the flat tax and education.• We've been fighting about money of late, but then again it might be my face.• Most married couples fight occasionally about money.• We used to fight over one skirt and the decent blouse.• The ensuing debate, though appearing to involve leprosy, was in reality a fight about territorial status.• At the core of the fight over the constitution is the relationship of powers between the presidency, government and parliament.• I started learning on my own, and we started getting into fights about things.• Instead of world trade, they fought over whether employers should be allowed to set up their own unions.fightfight2 ●●● S2 W3 noun 1 people hit each other [countable]FIGHT a situation in which two people or groups hit, push etc each other Her son was always getting into fights at school.fight with They ended up having a fight with each other.fight between A fight broke out between the fans.fight over/about fights over territory2 to achieve/prevent something [singular]FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST something the process of trying to achieve something or prevent somethingfight for the fight for justice and democracy The little girl lost her fight for life (=fight to stay alive) last night.fight against the fight against crimefight to do something the fight to get financial aid You’ll have a fight on your hands (=it will be difficult) to convince the committee.3 argument [countable]ARGUE an argumentfight with They’ve had a fight with the neighbours.fight over/about fights over money4 boxing [countable]DS a boxing match Are you going to watch the big fight tonight?5 battle [countable]WAR a battle between two armiesfight for the fight for Bunker Hill 6 energy [uncountable]FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST something energy or the desire to keep fighting for something you want There’s plenty of fight left in your grandmother.7 → put up a good fight8 → a fight to the death/finishCOLLOCATIONSverbshave a fightI didn’t want to have a fight with him.get into a fight (=become involved in a fight)The two men got into a fight over a girl.start a fightThey started a fight in the crowded bar.pick a fight (=deliberately start a fight)The guy tried to pick a fight with Jack.stop a fight/break up a fightThe police were called in to break up a fight outside a nightclub.win/lose a fightHe always won every fight he was in at school.be spoiling for a fight (=be very eager to fight with someone)The kids went round in gangs, all spoiling for a fight.a fight breaks out/erupts (=suddenly starts)A fight broke out and one man was struck on the head.a fight takes place (=happens)The fight took place outside a nightclub.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + fighta big fightThey ended up having a big fight in the pub.a fair fightIt was a fair fight, just two on two.a fierce fightThere was a fierce fight with rebel forces and several soldiers were killed.a street fightThere were reports of street fights every night in the local newspaper.a fist fight (=a fight in which people hit each other with their closed hands)A fist fight broke out after the match.a knife/sword fightThere have been several arrests, following knife fights between drunken fans. a title fight (=a fight between two boxers to decide who will win a competition)a heavyweight title fight THESAURUSwhen people hit or attack each otherfight a situation in which people hit or attack each other because of an argument, or as a sportHe had a fight with an older boy. the famous fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman battle a fight between opposing armies or groups of peopleThe English king was killed at the Battle of Hastings.a battle between two rival gangsscuffle a short fight that is not very violentThere was a short scuffle with the police, but no arrests were made.punch-up British English informal a fight in which people hit each other because of an argumentThe game turned into a punch-up.brawl a noisy fight between a group of peopleHe was hurt in a drunken brawl.altercation formal a short noisy argument or fight, especially one that is not seriousThere was a brief altercation and someone called the police.riot a fight involving a large number of people, especially people who are protesting about somethingThe book provoked riots all over Europe. when people try to achieve somethingfight the process in which people try to stop something bad from happening or to improve a situationSchools have an important part to play in the fight against drugs.women’s fight for equalitybattle a fight to change a situation or deal with a problem in societyThe battle against racial discrimination is not over.campaign a planned series of actions intended to achieve somethingMotoring organizations started a campaign for safer roads.struggle a long, hard fight for freedom, independence, equal rights etcNkrumah led the people in their struggle for independence.crusade someone’s fight against something they think is morally wrongShe intends to continue her crusade against sex and violence on TV. Examples from the Corpus
fight• If we had a fight I know I'd win, easy-peasy.• Three of his ribs were broken in a fight.• How did you get that black eye? Were you in a fight?• So anyway, so how did somebody almost get into a fight besides him and Jessica?• He had been at the pub for several hours before getting into a fight with another man.• Are you going to watch the big fight tomorrow?• A good fight once in a while can clear the air.• But Eliades is demanding that pot, plus Lewis' fight fee of around £5m, is frozen by a court judge.• That was the other thing, it took me a long fight to get my eye drops.• There was a massive fight after school yesterday.• A couple of fights broke out near the stadium after the game.• Tyson's fight against Evander Holyfield• Women's fight for equality has not ended.• It is considered one of the most significant developments in the fight against many brain disorders and diseases.• He was a hero in the fight for independence from France.• He knocked out his opponent only five minutes into the fight.• I went through with the fight, like I had said, knocked him out.• Northener Warren Goss takes up: Night came, yet the fight went on...• the fight between Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano• The fight against malnutrition and preventable diseases must continue.• New laws have been passed to help the police in their fight against organized crime.fight over/about• Bing and Callas fought over a contract.• The vultures eat greedily, fighting over scraps, slipping off the rock in their haste to consume.• We have huge fights about it.• These people were not fighting over what I was trained to believe they were fighting over-scarce resources.• But once that barrier has been broken, what is the fight about then?• At the core of the fight over the constitution is the relationship of powers between the presidency, government and parliament.• As for Mr Patrick, he says the fight over development has taken its toll.• What was the fight about?• Instead of world trade, they fought over whether employers should be allowed to set up their own unions.have a fight on ... hands• But you're going to have a fight on your hands.• Politics being politics, the Government may yet have a fight on its hands.fight over/about• Bing and Callas fought over a contract.• The vultures eat greedily, fighting over scraps, slipping off the rock in their haste to consume.• We have huge fights about it.• These people were not fighting over what I was trained to believe they were fighting over-scarce resources.• But once that barrier has been broken, what is the fight about then?• At the core of the fight over the constitution is the relationship of powers between the presidency, government and parliament.• As for Mr Patrick, he says the fight over development has taken its toll.• Instead of world trade, they fought over whether employers should be allowed to set up their own unions.Origin fight1 Old English feohtan 