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bare-knuckle

adjective or adverb bare-knuck·le \ -ˈnə-kəl \
variants: or less commonly bare-knuckled play \-kəld\ or bare-knuckles play \-kəlz\
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Definition of bare-knuckle

1 : not using boxing gloves
  • champion bare-knuckle prizefighter of England
  • —Dennis Craig
  • when men fought bare-knuckle
2 : having a fierce unrelenting character
  • bare-knuckle politics

See bare-knuckle defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of bare-knuckle

1882

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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BARE-KNUCKLE Defined for English Language Learners

bare-knuckle

adjective

Definition of bare-knuckle for English Language Learners

  • : without boxing gloves

Learn More about bare-knuckle

  1. See words that rhyme with bare-knuckle

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