firefight

[ fahyuhr-fahyt ]

noun

1. an exchange of gunfire between two opposing forces, especially a skirmish between military forces.

firefight

/ ˈfaɪəˌfaɪt /

noun

1. a brief small-scale engagement between opposing military ground forces using short-range light weapons

Word History and Origins

Origin of firefight¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; fire + fight

Example Sentences

Specifics on the the extent of the issues weren’t immediately available, but two water pumps in the Camarillo foothills — the area hit hardest by fire losses — became inactive during the firefight, halting or slowing the process to refill hillside water tanks that fuel high-elevation fire hydrants, officials confirmed this week.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s not immediately clear exactly what preparations each local water provider took before the Mountain fire, but only two experienced water supply issues during the firefight, according to Daniel Cohen, the emergency response coordinator for Calleguas Municipal Water District, which distributes water from the State Water Project to local providers.

From Los Angeles Times

Capt. Kevin May of the East Fork Fire Protection District and his crew had driven down from Douglas County, Nevada, to assist in the firefight.

From Los Angeles Times

Water pressure in some areas also became erratic, forcing crews to shuttle water up to some key positions in the firefight — though it is still not clear what effect that might have had.

From Los Angeles Times

At that stage nothing seemed particularly remarkable about the firefight and the soldiers did not return to the scene until Thursday morning.

From BBC