fight
They decided to fight for their rights.
They chose to actively struggle to defend their rights.
to engage in a physical or verbal struggle against someone or something.
The boxer fought his opponent for the championship belt.
The boxer engaged in a physical struggle against his opponent to win the championship.
She fought hard to overcome her illness.
She struggled persistently to recover from her illness.
Can be used metaphorically (e.g., 'fight for justice') or literally (e.g., 'fight an attacker').
a physical or verbal struggle or contest.
The fight lasted three rounds before the referee stopped it.
The physical struggle between the two boxers continued for three rounds before it was halted.
They had a heated fight over the decision.
They engaged in a strong verbal argument about the decision.
Can refer to organized contests (e.g., boxing match) or informal struggles.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Prepositions Matter
The preposition after 'fight' changes the meaning: 'fight for' (defend), 'fight against' (oppose), 'fight with' (ally with).
Gold Rule
Literal vs. Figurative
Always check context to determine if 'fight' refers to physical conflict or metaphorical struggle (e.g., 'fight poverty' vs. 'fight an attacker').
Word Origin
Old English 'feohtan' (to fight), from Proto-Germanic '*feuhtaną' (to fight), related to Old Norse 'fjöturr' (fetter) and Old High German 'fehtan' (to fence). The noun sense emerged in Middle English.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both literal (physical conflict) and figurative (metaphorical struggle) contexts. Often paired with prepositions like 'for,' 'against,' or 'with' to specify the object of the struggle.