Meaning of fight In English

• 0 to use physical force to try to defeat another person or group of people:

  • There were children fighting in the playground.

  • The soldiers fought from house to house.

  • They fought with (= on the side of) the North against the South.

  • The birds were fighting over (= competing for) a scrap of food.

  • They fight like cats and dogs (= fight or argue very angrily and violently).

  • They fought to the bitter end/to the death (= until everyone on one side was dead or completely defeated).

  • He fought the disease bravely for three years.

  • We need the public's help in fighting crime.

  • He fought against racism.

  • Vitamin C is thought to help fight colds and flu.

  • They had to fight hard for improvements to the road system.

  • One of the passengers was fighting for her life (= so ill or injured that she might die) last night after receiving multiple injuries in the collision.

  • With debts of over $2 million, the corporation is fighting for its life (= people are trying hard to stop it being destroyed)

  • I had to fight (back) (= tried hard not to show or produce) the tears when he said he was leaving.

  • The bank fought off (= successfully prevented) a takeover by another bank recently.

  • I was getting a cold at the start of the week but I seem to have fought it off (= got rid of it).

  • I wish they wouldn't fight in front of the kids.

  • I could hear them fighting about money again.

• 1 an argument or an occasion when someone uses physical force to try to defeat someone:

  • Jeff's always getting into/starting fights.

  • The older boys broke up (= stopped) the fight.

  • UK I had a stand-up fight with her (= we argued strongly) about the phone bill.

  • Do you have tickets for the big fight (= boxing competition)?

  • He put up a fight when the police tried to arrest him.

  • We must continue the fight against homelessness.

  • He died last week after a long fight with cancer.

  • They put up a good fight (= played well) against a more experienced team.

  • The team came out on the field full of fight.

• 2 to argue with or use force against another person or a group of people, or to oppose something:

  • [ T ] Rebels have been fighting fierce battles with government forces.

  • [ I ] They’re fighting against some powerful organizations.

  • [ I ] She’s willing to fight for a more just society.

  • [ I ] Those two little kids were fighting over a toy.

  • [ T ] Gordon has been fighting an uphill battle to attract investors.

  • [ T ] Lewis will fight Akinwande for the heavyweight title.

• 3 an argument, or an occasion when someone uses force to defeat someone or oppose something:

  • Isabelle is looking for a fight.

  • A patient’s attitude is important in the fight against the disease.

  • Have you got tickets for the fight (= a competition between two boxers)?