Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The skill, practice, and sport of fighting with the fists; boxing.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The art or practice of boxing or fighting with the fists.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun The practice of boxing, or fighting with the fist.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun fighting with fists,
boxing
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun fighting with the fists
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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It may be that for a long time some nations will continue to fight each other, but the example of those nations who prefer arbitration to war, law courts to the battlefield, must sooner or later influence the belligerent powers and make war as unpopular as pugilism is now.
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I admire the old fashion according to which in English pugilism (which, however, I do not admire) the combatants shook hands before they fought; only I think much time ought not to be spent upon such salutations when there is other work to do. '
The Life of William Ewart Gladstone, Vol. 1 (of 3) 1809-1859 John Morley 1880
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M. ERIC DYSON: I think that, you know, we're engaging in some rhetorical fisticuffs, so to speak, a kind of pugilism of the domestic sphere.
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Hillary is a path breaker for future generations of women because she has broken the glass ceiling with her newfound politics of "pugilism".
Tom Hayden: Not The Time To Celebrate Clinton As Brawler 2008
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The writing is a kind of pugilism -- the strokes being made straight out from the shoulder.
Venetian Life William Dean Howells 1878
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The pugilism continued at Oxford, where he read military history and, while admiring the "tranquil beauty" of the High Street, noted that he felt a "savage satisfaction" in fighting.
Drawn to Harsh Places D.J. Taylor 2011
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Those children who prefer pugilism to pampering will no doubt love the Kung Zhu Battle Arena, which seven-year-old Jayden Chamberlain was warring with this morning.
Monopoly Revolution predicted to be Christmas toy bestseller Helen Pidd 2010
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After the Cotto contest, Margarito became one of the hottest prospects in professional pugilism.
With These Two, the Animosity Isn't an Act Gordon Marino 2011
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Although he earned millions, Louis ended up nearly penniless and a walking argument against professional pugilism.
The Standard Bearer 2010
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In parting let me inject my own truculence and pugilism in this 1/2 punch: I cannot believe this is the conversation we are still having this far into our project and at this ridiculously low level at that.
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