Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Peter Mark Roget

struggle; belligerency; opposition &c 708. controversy, polemics; debate &c (discussion) 476; war of words, logomachy†, litigation; paper war; high words &c (quarrel) 713; sparring &c v.. competition, rivalry; corrivalry†, corrivalship†, agonism†, concours†, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap; regatta; field day; sham fight, Derby day; turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy†, gymkhana†; boat race, torpids†. wrestling, greco-roman wrestling; pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense; spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting; quarterstaff, single stick; gladiatorship†, gymnastics; jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti†, sumo; athletics, athletic sports; games of skill &c 840. shindy†; fracas &c (discord) 713; clash of arms; tussle, scuffle, broil, fray; affray, affrayment†; velitation†; colluctation†, luctation†; brabble†, brigue†, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash†, bushfighting†. free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight. conflict, skirmish; rencounter†, encounter; rencontre†, collision, affair, brush, fight; battle, battle royal; combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament; tilt, tilting [Mediev.]; tournay†, list; pitched battle. death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon†. hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war. naval engagement, naumachia†, sea fight. duel, duello [It]; single combat, monomachy†, satisfaction, passage d'armes [Fr.], passage of arms, affair of honor; triangular duel; hostile meeting, digladiation†; deeds of arms, feats of arms; appeal to arms &c (warfare) 722. pugnacity; combativeness &c adj.; bone of contention &c 713. V. contend; contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle; spar, square; exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs; fib†, justle†, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence; skirmish; pickeer†; fight &c (war) 722; wrangle &c (quarrel) 713. contend with &c, grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush &c n.. with, tilt with; encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw†, run a tilt at; oppose &c 708; reluct. join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand; take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet; enter the lists; couch one's lance; give satisfaction; appeal to arms; &c (warfare) 722. lay about one; break the peace. compete with, cope with, vie with, race with; outvie†, emulate, rival; run a race; contend for &c, stipulate for, stickle for; insist upon, make a point of. Adj. contending &c v.; together by the ears, at loggerheads. at war. at issue. competitive, rival; belligerent; contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful†; warlike &c 722; quarrelsome &c 901; pugnacious; pugilistic, gladiatorial; palestric†, palestrical†. Phr. a verbis ad verbera [Lat.]; a word and a blow; a very pretty quarrel as it stands [Sheridan]; commune periculum concordiam parit [Lat.]; lis litem generat [Lat.].