fight off
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To resist or defend against an attack, threat, or illness by using force or effort.
- To succeed in overcoming or keeping something undesirable at bay.
Usage
The verb "fight off" is transitive and requires a direct object. It describes an active, often strenuous, effort to repel something. It is commonly used in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
Examples
- Physical Attack/Threat:
- The security guard had to fight off the intruder.
- She fought off the wild dog with a stick.
- Illness:
- He is taking vitamins to help his body fight off the cold.
- Her immune system successfully fought off the infection.
- Metaphorical Threat/Undesirable Feeling:
- I had to fight off the urge to eat another piece of cake.
- She fought off a feeling of despair.
Advanced Usage
- "to fight off sleep": to actively try to stay awake.
- He drank coffee to fight off sleep during the long drive.
- "to fight off a takeover": (in business) to resist an attempt by another company to gain control.
- The company's board is fighting off a hostile takeover bid.
Variants and Related Words
- Fightback (n): A campaign of resistance.
- The team staged a remarkable fightback in the second half.
- Repel (v): A more formal synonym meaning to drive back or resist effectively.
- Rebuff (v): To reject someone or something in an abrupt or ungracious manner, often used in the context of rejecting an advance or offer.
Synonyms
- Repel
- Ward off
- Keep at bay
- Resist
- Defend against
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Fight back: To defend oneself by fighting; to retaliate.
- After the initial shock, the community began to fight back against the new regulations.
- Hold off: To resist or keep something away, often for a period of time.
- Can you hold off the reporters until I'm ready to make a statement?
Related Idioms
- Hold the line: To maintain a position against an attack or pressure.
- Our job is to hold the line and fight off any criticism until the project is complete.
- Beat back: To force to retreat.
- Firefighters worked tirelessly to beat back the flames.
Verb
- force or drive back
- repel the attacker
- fight off the onslaught
- rebuff the attack