dogfight

[dawg-fahyt, dog-] /ˈdɔgˌfaɪt, ˈdɒg-/
noun
1.
a violent fight between dogs.
2.
a fight between warring fighter planes.
3.
any rough-and-tumble physical battle.
verb (used with object), dogfought, dogfighting.
4.
to engage in a dogfight with.
verb (used without object), dogfought, dogfighting.
5.
to engage in a dogfight.
Origin
1650-60; 1915 for def 2; dog + fight
Examples from the web for dogfight
  • Today's phoney war could quickly turn into a real dogfight.
  • But today's phoney war could turn into a real dogfight if governments make the wrong choices.
  • Many dog owners are bitten trying to break up a dogfight.
  • Never reach your hands into the middle of a dogfight.
  • There was a dogfight and everyone turned their attention to the dogs.
  • Another time it would be in a dogfight with another fighter plane, shoot it down, see.
British Dictionary definitions for dogfight

dogfight

/ˈdɒɡˌfaɪt/
noun
1.
close quarters combat between fighter aircraft
2.
any rough violent fight
Word Origin and History for dogfight
n.

"aerial combat," World War I air forces slang, from earlier meaning "riotous brawl" (1880s); from dog (n.) + fight (n.). The literal sense of "a fight among or between dogs" is from 1650s.

Slang definitions & phrases for dogfight

dogfight

noun
  1. An aerial combat among fighter planes (WWI air forces)
  2. Any confused and riotous brawl; donnybrook (1880+)