firefight

plural firefights

1. A skirmish involving an exchange of gunfire.

   Military Specialization Soldier Soldiers are combat specialists ideal for the front lines of a firefight.

   2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Profile Reconstruction

2. figurativelyAn intense argument.

   Correct. That was actually my first internet controversy many years ago, with the kinists, white identitarians — I call them skinists. And I’ve been in polemical firefights with antisemites and actual misogynists, not people who are accused of being that way.

   2025 October 9, Ross Douthat, quoting Doug Wilson, “He Believes America Should Be a Theocracy. He Says His Influence Is Growing.”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Oct 2025

present singular third person firefights · participle present firefighting · participle past firefought · past firefought

1. To engage in a firefight.

   His goal: a patch of high ground called Sperwan Ghar, where he and his men firefought a thousand Taliban to take the hill and call in the air strikes critical to turning the tide.

   2011 July 8, Mark Thompson, “Inside the Battle for Kandahar”, in Time, archived from the original on 16 Nov 2023