Main Entry: ¹fight

Pronunciation: \ˈfīt\

Function: verb

Inflected Form(s): fought \ˈfȯt\; fight·ing

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English feohtan; akin to Old High German fehtan to fight and perhaps to Latin pectere to comb — more at pectinate

Date: before 12th century

intransitive verb 1 a : to contend in battle or physical combat; especially : to strive to overcome a person by blows or weapons b : to engage in boxing
2 : to put forth a determined efforttransitive verb 1 a (1) : to contend against in or as if in battle or physical combat (2) : to box against in the ring b (1) : to attempt to prevent the success or effectiveness of <the company fought the takeover attempt> (2) : to oppose the passage or development of <fight a bill in Congress>
2 a : wage, carry on <fight a battle> b : to take part in (as a boxing match)
3 : to struggle to endure or surmount <fight a cold>
4 a : to gain by struggle <fights his way through> b : to resolve by struggle <fought out their differences in court>
5 a : to manage (a ship) in a battle or storm b : to cause to struggle or contend c : to manage in an unnecessarily rough or awkward manner

— fight shy of : to avoid facing or meeting