ADJ
big fierce, furious real Suddenly the argument developed into a real fight good There's nothing he likes so much as a good fight fair It was a fair fight and Stephen won free They inadvertently got mixed up in a free fight involving some 20 people running He was killed during a series of running fights outside a disco stand-up, straight In a straight fight the crusaders usually won; in skirmishes, the Saracens often overcame their more numerous opponents pub, street gang fist food, pillow, water championship, title watching the world title fight between Tyson and Lewis professional heavyweight, etc. bull (also bullfight), dog
VERB + FIGHT
pick, start He tried to pick a fight with me. I don't know who started the fight be looking for, be spoiling for, want Andy was drunk and spoiling for a fight be in, get into, get involved in, get mixed up in, have Don't get into any more fights! break up, stop The fight was broken up by a teacher win lose watch
FIGHT + VERB
take place The dog fights took place every Sunday morning break out, erupt, start ensue A fight ensued which left one man dead
PREP
in a/the ~ He killed a man in a fight ~ about/over They nearly had a fight over who should move first ~ between fights between police and football fans ~ with They got involved in a fight with some older boys
ADJ
brave, good, strong She died at the age of 43 after a brave fight against cancer hard, long, real, tough a long fight to beat inflation bitter, desperate legal
VERB + FIGHT
put up Coal workers are determined to put up a fight to save their jobs lead, spearhead leading the fight for compensation for the sacked workers join (in) Doctors have now joined in the fight to make this treatment available to all face Now he is facing his toughest fight yet?back to fitness after a series of injuries be engaged in He is still engaged in a bitter fight with his old firm carry on, continue, keep up She said they would continue their fight to find a cure for Aids step up The government has vowed to step up the fight against crime take She vowed to take her fight to the High Court win lose Are we losing the fight against illegal drugs? give up She just gave up her fight for life
FIGHT + VERB
be on The fight is on to have this brutal practice stamped out continue, go on The fight for justice goes on
PREP
without a ~ I'm not giving up without a fight! ~ against a new weapon in the fight against car crime ~ for their fight for a fair deal
PHRASES
a fight for life/survival the firm's desperate fight for survival in a cut-throat market have a fight on your hands Union leaders know that they have got a real fight on their hands
ADJ
brave, good, great, strong, tremendous straight
VERB + FIGHT
put up The team put up a good fight (= they played well) but were finally beaten
PREP
~ between This will be a straight fight between Labour and the Conservatives: the other parties are nowhere ~ for The fight for supremacy in the sport is on
PHRASES
a fight to the death (figurative) By 1807 politics had become a fight to the death between the two factions a fight to the finish If the polls are wrong and it's a fight to the finish, the result may not be known until all the votes have been counted have a fight on your hands She now has a fight on her hands (= will have to play very well) to make it through to the next round make a fight of it No doubt Ferguson wants his team to make a fight of it
ADV
bravely, gallantly, valiantly bitterly, hard back, off
VERB + FIGHT
be prepared to, be ready to He did not believe that the enemy was ready to fight continue to
PREP
against They fought bravely against the enemy alongside fighting alongside his comrades for They fought for control of the island over fighting over disputed land
ADV
bitterly, hard back, off The jeweller was stabbed as he tried to fight the robbers off
PREP
against She fought hard against his strong grip with Riot police fought with militants demonstrating in support of the uprising
ADV
bitterly, hard successfully
VERB + FIGHT
be determined to, be prepared to, be ready to We need a good manager who is prepared to fight for a fair share of the funds continue to
PREP
for Regional monopolies were bitterly fought for
PHRASES
fiercely/keenly fought The second half was keenly fought, but neither side managed to score
ADV
hard, like a tiger, tooth and nail (= in a very determined way) He fought hard to overcome his disability. She'll fight like a tiger to protect her children. The residents are fighting tooth and nail to stop the new development doggedly, stubbornly, tenaciously desperately successfully back, off It is time to fight back against street crime
VERB + FIGHT
be determined to, be prepared to, be ready to, vow to continue to help (to)
PREP
against They are committed to fighting against racism for fighting for equal rights
PREP
about It's a trivial matter and not worth fighting about over The children will fight over quite small things with He's always fighting with his brother