Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A disorderly fight, argument, or competition in which everyone present participates. synonym: brawl.
- noun A disorderly situation in which there is little regard for authority or rules.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun a noisy and disordered fight conducted without rules.
- noun Any vigorous competition in which anyone can compete, with few or no rules, and in which the winner is unpredictable.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun idiomatic
Chaos ; a chaotic situation lacking rules orcontrol .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a noisy fight in a crowd
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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And for those with wells still producing, exportation suddenly became a lot more expensive: tanker traffic in Libya has been described as a free-for-all, as tanker owners jack up rates and port operators struggle to load with few workers.
unknown title 2011
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But the Japanese have a number of traditions that give them pause about the competitive free-for-all that most Americans accept as the norm.
The Good Fight Walter F. Mondale 2010
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But the Japanese have a number of traditions that give them pause about the competitive free-for-all that most Americans accept as the norm.
The Good Fight Walter F. Mondale 2010
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But the Japanese have a number of traditions that give them pause about the competitive free-for-all that most Americans accept as the norm.
The Good Fight Walter F. Mondale 2010
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Meanwhile, Germany and France have made clear they have no intention of letting the U.K. turn what they hope will be a limited treaty change into a free-for-all that will require referenda across the euro zone.
U.K. Adds Wild-Card Risk to Euro Deal Simon Nixon 2011
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Both teams were reduced to 10 men in the 13th minute of extra time after a scramble for the ball developed into a free-for-all with the Paraguay defender Antolín Alcaraz and the Brazil midfielder Lucas Leiva sent off.
Brazil 0-0 Paraguay (Paraguay win 2-0 on penalties) | Copa América match report 2011
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But can we try it in this key? or whatever, and it's just really a free-for-all.
Mike Ragogna: Keb' Mo's "...Enchilada," Plus Chats with Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Alex Miller, Flogging Molly's Dave King, and Lindi Ortega Mike Ragogna 2011
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It was found sadly lacking before and during the financial crisis of 2007-08 – not just failing to identify trouble ahead but actively promoting the financial free-for-all that caused the speculative frenzy.
Gordon Brown and the IMF deserve better than this shabby treatment 2011
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But can we try it in this key? or whatever, and it's just really a free-for-all.
Mike Ragogna: Keb' Mo's "...Enchilada," Plus Chats with Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Alex Miller, Flogging Molly's Dave King, and Lindi Ortega Mike Ragogna 2011
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To curtail such coverage is to abandon an intellectual forum for a childish free-for-all.
Book Reviewing 2010
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