Vocabulary Help: ARGUE X FIGHT

argue (DISAGREE) verb [I] to speak angrily to someone, telling them that you disagree with them:The children are always arguing.Kids, will you stop arguing with each other?They were arguing over/about which film to go and see.


fight verb fought, fought

1 [I or T] to use physical force to try to defeat another person or group of people: There were children fighting in the playground. The soldiers fought from house to house. They fought with (= on the side of) the North against the South. The birds were fighting over (= competing for) a scrap of food. They fight like cats and dogs (= fight or argue very angrily and violently). They fought to the bitter end/to the death (= until everyone on one side was dead or completely defeated).

2 [I or T] to use a lot of effort to defeat or achieve something, or to stop something happening: He fought the disease bravely for three years. We need the public's help in fighting crime. He fought against racism. Vitamin C is thought to help fight colds and flu. They had to fight hard for improvements to the road system. I had to fight (back) (= tried hard not to show or produce) the tears when he said he was leaving. The bank fought off (= successfully prevented) a takeover by another bank recently. I was getting a cold at the start of the week but I seem to have fought it off (= got rid of it).

3 [I] INFORMAL to argue: I wish they wouldn't fight in front of the kids. I could hear them fighting about money again.fight noun

1 [C] an argument or an occasion when someone uses physical force to try to defeat someone:Jeff's always getting into/starting fights. The older boys broke up (= stopped) the fight. UK I had a stand-up fight with her (= we argued strongly) about the telephone bill. Have you got tickets for the big fight (= boxing competition)? He put up a fight when the police tried to arrest him.

2 [C] when you use a lot of effort to defeat someone or achieve something, or to stop something happening: We must continue the fight against homelessness. He died last week after a long fight with cancer. They put up a good fight (= played well) against a more experienced football team.3 [U] desire or ability to fight or act energetically: The team came out on the field full of fight.fighting noun [U] when people fight, especially in a war: Fierce fighting has continued all day on the outskirts of the town.






(from Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)



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