From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdo battle (with somebody)do battle (with somebody)FIGHT FOR OR AGAINST somethingto argue with someone or fight against someone She walked into the room with her eyes blazing, ready to do battle. → battle
Examples from the Corpus
do battle (with somebody)• I wanted them to get up on their hind legs and do battle.• On certain nights all the ghosts do battle and the distant echoes of their screams and war-cries are born on the wind.• And under the plate, among the spinning wheels, diamonds and rubies do battle against friction.• A chapter from Harrogate came down to do battle in Bedale.• Such doubts energized the smaller community of demographic revisionists, who emerged to do battle with their Malthusian brethren.• The citizens group said they are prepared to do battle with City Hall over the passage of the bill.• The 49ers at this time of the year reload and get ready to do battle.• The Sandinistas were forced into a temporary retreat but returned later with reinforcements to do battle in the streets.• The hero, a knight named Peter Loschy, went to do battle with the dragon. 