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Fisticuff vs Pugilism - What's the difference?

fisticuff | pugilism |

As nouns the difference between fisticuff and pugilism

is that fisticuff is (rare) a fistfight while pugilism is fighting with fists, boxing.

As a verb fisticuff

is (chiefly|humorous) to engage in a physical fight.

fisticuff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (rare) A fistfight.
  • *1852 , Eli Bowen et al., The Pictorial Sketch-book of Pennsylvania ,
  • *:Every fifteen or twenty minutes there was a rush to some part, to witness a fisticuff .
  • (obsolete) A cuff or blow administered with the fist.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (chiefly, humorous) To engage in a physical fight.
  • (obsolete) To strike, fight or spar with the fists.
  • *1846 , Making of America Project, The American Whig Review ,
  • *:Do they fisticuff with thunder-snaggs
  • Derived terms

    * fisticuffer

    References

    * * *Oxford English Dictionary , 2nd ed., 1989. *Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary , 1987-1996.

    pugilism

    English

    Noun

  • fighting with fists, boxing
  • References