tussle

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: tus=sle

CIDE DICTIONARY

tussle, v. i. & t. [See Tousle.].

 To struggle, as in sport; to scuffle; to struggle with.  [1913 Webster]

tussle, n. 

 A struggle; a scuffle.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tussle, n. & v.
--n. a struggle or scuffle.
--v.intr. engage in a tussle.

Etymology

orig. Sc. & N.Engl., perh. dimin. of touse: see TOUSLE

THESAURUS

tussle

action, aerial combat, affray, agonize, altercation, argument, armored combat, battle, battle royal, bicker, blood feud, box, brawl, broil, brush, buffet, bullfight, clash, clash of arms, close, cockfight, collide, combat, come to blows, conflict, contend, contention, contest, controversy, cut and thrust, dispute, dogfight, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, duel, embroilment, exchange blows, exchange of blows, fence, feud, fight, fight a duel, fire fight, fliting, fracas, fray, fuss, give and take, give satisfaction, grapple, grapple with, ground combat, grunt and sweat, hand-to-hand combat, hand-to-hand fight, hassle, house-to-house combat, huff and puff, imbroglio, jostle, joust, logomachy, mix it up, naval combat, open quarrel, passage of arms, pitched battle, polemic, quarrel, rassle, riot, rumble, run a tilt, running fight, scramble, scrap, scrimmage, scuffle, sharp words, shoving match, skirmish, slanging match, snarl, spar, spat, squabble, stand-up fight, street fight, strife, strive, struggle, tauromachy, thrust and parry, tiff, tilt, tourney, tug-of-war, vendetta, wage war, war, words, wrangle, wrestle

ROGET THESAURUS

tussle

Contention

N contention, strife, contest, contestation, struggle, belligerency, opposition, controversy, polemics, debate, war of words, logomachy, litigation, paper war, high words, sparring, competition, rivalry, corrivalry, corrivalship, agonism, concours, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap, regatta, field day, sham fight, Derby day, turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy, gymkhana, boat race, torpids, wrestling, greco-roman wrestling, pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense, spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting, quarterstaff, single stick, gladiatorship, gymnastics, jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti, sumo, athletics, athletic sports, games of skill, shindy, fracas, clash of arms, tussle, scuffle, broil, fray, affray, affrayment, velitation, colluctation, luctation, brabble, brigue, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash, bushfighting, free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight, conflict, skirmish, rencounter, encounter, rencontre, collision, affair, brush, fight, battle, battle royal, combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament, tilt, tilting, tournay, list, pitched battle, death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon, hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war, naval engagement, naumachia, sea fight, duel, duello, single combat, monomachy, satisfaction, passage d'armes, passage of arms, affair of honor, triangular duel, hostile meeting, digladiation, deeds of arms, feats of arms, appeal to arms, pugnacity, combativeness, bone of contention, contending, together by the ears, at loggerheads, at war, at issue, competitive, rival, belligerent, contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful, warlike, quarrelsome, pugnacious, pugilistic, gladiatorial, palestric, palestrical, a verbis ad verbera, a word and a blow, a very pretty quarrel as it stands, commune periculum concordiam parit, lis litem generat.

VB contend, contest, strive, struggle, scramble, wrestle, spar, square, exchange blows, exchange fisticuffs, fib, justle, tussle, tilt, box, stave, fence, skirmish, pickeer, fight, wrangle, contend with, grapple with, engage with, close with, buckle with, bandy with, try conclusions with, have a brush, with, tilt with, encounter, fall foul of, pitch into, clapperclaw, run a tilt at, oppose, reluct, join issue, come to blows, go to loggerheads, set to, come to the scratch, exchange shots, measure swords, meet hand to hand, take up the cudgels, take up the glove, take up the gauntlet, enter the lists, couch one's lance, give satisfaction, appeal to arms, lay about one, break the peace, compete with, cope with, vie with, race with, outvie, emulate, rival, run a race, contend for, stipulate for, stickle for, insist upon, make a point of.