fight */*/*/

I UK [faɪt] / US verb
Word forms "fight":
present tense I/you/we/they fight he/she/it fights present participle fighting past tense fought UK [fɔːt] / US [fɔt] past participle fought

1) [intransitive/transitive] if people fight, they use guns or other weapons against each other

These men had fought the Japanese in the Second World War.

fight against:

The French had no desire to fight against the British.

fight for:

We believed we were fighting for freedom and democracy.

fight to do something:

Allied troops fought to liberate the city.

fight a war/battle:

The terrorists claim that they are fighting a just war.

fight bravely/valiantly/hard:

The young soldiers fought valiantly but were soon defeated.

2)

a) [intransitive/transitive] if people or animals fight, they hit, kick, or bite each other

fight with:

Protesters fought with the police outside the Embassy building.

fight over:

Children fought over scraps of food.

fight to the death:

Male lions rarely fight to the death over females.

b) to hit someone as part of a sport, especially boxing

fight someone for something:

He hopes to fight the champion for the world title.

3) [intransitive] to disagree or argue about something

fight over:

Look, I don't want to fight over this.

fight about:

What are you two fighting about now?

4) [intransitive/transitive] to try very hard to prevent something from happening or getting worse

The government has restated its determination to fight terrorism.

fight against:

All her life she fought against racism.

•

Collocations:
Nouns frequently used as objects of fight
▪  corruption, crime, discrimination, prejudice, terrorism

5) [intransitive/transitive] to try in a very determined way to achieve something

The survivors have fought a ten-year battle for justice.

fight to do something:

Local campaigners are fighting to save the hospital from closure.

fight for:

Many of the injured are still fighting for compensation.

•

Collocations:
Adverbs frequently used with fight
▪  desperately, doggedly, hard, stubbornly, tenaciously

6) [transitive] to try very hard not to show a feeling or not to do something you want to do

fight the urge/impulse/desire:

She fought the urge to run after him.

7) [intransitive/transitive] to compete in order to win something or get something

Our party is ready to fight an election at any time.

fight for:

Four teams will be fighting for a place in the final.

•

fight a fire/blaze — to try to stop a large fire from burning

- fight for breath

- fight your corner

- fight for your life

- fighting a losing battle

- fighting for survival

- fight like cat and dog

- fight shy of something

- fight your way

- have a fighting chance

Phrasal verbs:

- fight back

- fight down

- fight off

- fight out

II UK [faɪt] / US noun
Word forms "fight":
singular fight plural fights

1)

a) [countable] a situation in which people hit each other

have a fight with:

He had a fight with a man outside a pub in North London.

fight between:

Every week there are fights between rival fans.

get into a fight:

As a young man, he was always getting into fights.

pick/start a fight:

The man seemed determined to pick a fight with (= start a fight with) someone.

b) an occasion when people fight as part of a sport, especially boxing

fight against:

He knew it was going to be a hard fight against Lewis.

Don't miss the big fight!

2) [countable] a battle between soldiers or armies

3) [countable] a situation in which people disagree or argue with each other

have a fight with:

Most teenagers have fights with their parents.

4) [countable] a situation in which people compete in order to win or get something

fight for:

The fight for control of the company lasted several weeks.

5)

a) [countable] a determined attempt to prevent something from happening or getting worse

fight against:

This is an important step forward in the fight against terrorism.

She died yesterday after a long fight against cancer.

b) a determined attempt to achieve something

fight for:

Sarah finally won her long fight for compensation.

a fight to do something:

We will continue our fight to protect vulnerable children.

6) [uncountable] energy and determination to continue trying to achieve something

After her husband died there was very little fight left in her.

•

put up a good/brave fight — to try in a determined way to achieve something even though you do not succeed

We put up a good fight in this match and were unlucky to lose.

- a fight to the death

See:

spoil