brawl

[ brawl ]

noun

1. an angry, rough, noisy fight, especially one engaged in under the influence of alcohol:

   The wild, free-for-all western brawl in the saloon lasts two full minutes and constitutes the movie’s opening scene.

   Synonyms: tumult, wrangle, rumpus, row, altercation, affray

2. Slang. a large, noisy party.
3. Obsolete. a bubbling or roaring noise; a clamor.

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in angry, rough, noisy fighting, especially while under the influence of alcohol:

   He found that his hero was little more than a drunken, brawling tramp.

   Synonyms: row, bicker, fight, squabble

2. to make a bubbling or roaring noise, as water flowing over a rocky bed.

brawl

¹

/ brɔːl /

noun

1. a loud disagreement or fight
2. slang.
   an uproarious party

verb

1. to quarrel or fight noisily; squabble
2. (esp of water) to flow noisily

brawl

²

/ brɔːl /

noun

1. a dance: the English version of the branle

Derived Forms

• ˈbrawling, nounadjective
• ˈbrawler, noun

Other Words From

• brawl·er noun
• brawl·y adjective
• out·brawl verb (used with object)
• un·brawl·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of brawl¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; (verb) Middle English brawlen, brallen “to raise a clamor, quarrel, boast”; of uncertain origin; (noun) Middle English braule, brall, derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of brawl¹

C14: probably related to Dutch brallen to boast, behave aggressively

Synonym Study

See disorder.

Example Sentences

“I thought maybe Sister Agnes would be nervous too, so I used that. I didn’t have to repress it. She’s not part of the brawl with the men. She doesn’t get into the opinion of who should be the next pope. When she does speak, she speaks what she knows and goes back to her vow of being silent and invisible and obedient.”

From Los Angeles Times

Members of the secretive, tattooed deputy groups have been linked to a number of controversies, including an off-duty brawl outside the Kennedy Hall event space in East L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

A drug trafficking-related shooting in the western French city of Poitiers escalated into a brawl on Thursday night involving up to 600 people, French authorities say.

From BBC

In another incident this summer, a brawl broke out in the stands at Dodger Stadium after two fans threw beer at one another during a Dodgers-Red Sox game.

From Los Angeles Times

According to the Vancouver Sun, they "punched and clawed at each other" for a couple of minutes before sheriffs broke up the brawl, forcing them to the ground, applying handcuffs and leading them away.

From BBC

Related Words

• altercation
• argument
• battle
• bickering
• clash
• dispute
• feud
• fight
• fracas
• free-for-all
• melee
• quarrel
• riot
• ruckus
• scuffle
• squabble
• uproar
• wrangle