fife /fa I f/ (fifes ) N‑COUNT A fife is a musical instrument like a small flute.
fif|teen ◆◆◆ /f I ftiː n/ (fifteens ) NUM Fifteen is the number 15. □ In India, there are fifteen official languages.
fif|teenth ◆◆◇ /f I ftiː nθ/
1 ORD The fifteenth item in a series is the one that you count as number fifteen. □ …the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century.
2 FRACTION A fifteenth is one of fifteen equal parts of something.
fifth ◆◆◇ /f I fθ/ (fifths )
1 ORD The fifth item in a series is the one that you count as number five. □ Joe has recently returned from his fifth trip to Australia.
2 FRACTION A fifth is one of five equal parts of something. □ India spends over a fifth of its budget on defence.
fi fth co l|umn|ist (fifth columnists ) N‑COUNT A fifth columnist is someone who secretly supports and helps the enemies of the country or organization they are in.
fif|ti|eth ◆◆◇ /f I ftiəθ/ ORD The fiftieth item in a series is the one that you count as number fifty. □ He retired in 1970, on his fiftieth birthday.
fif|ty ◆◆◆ /f I fti/ (fifties )
1 NUM Fifty is the number 50. □ Fifty years is a long time in journalism.
2 N‑PLURAL When you talk about the fifties , you are referring to numbers between 50 and 59. For example, if you are in your fifties , you are aged between 50 and 59. If the temperature is in the fifties , the temperature is between 50 and 59 degrees. □ I probably look as if I'm in my fifties rather than my seventies.
3 N‑PLURAL The fifties is the decade between 1950 and 1959. □ He began performing in the early fifties.
fi fty-fi fty
1 ADV [ADV after v] If something such as money or property is divided or shared fifty-fifty between two people, each person gets half of it. [INFORMAL ] □ The proceeds of the sale are split fifty-fifty. ● ADJ Fifty-fifty is also an adjective. □ The new firm was owned on a fifty-fifty basis by the two parent companies.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If there is a fifty-fifty chance of something happening, it is equally likely to happen as it is not to happen. [INFORMAL ] □ You've got a fifty-fifty chance of being right.
fig /f I g/ (figs )
1 N‑COUNT A fig is a soft sweet fruit that grows in hot countries. It is full of tiny seeds and is often eaten dried.
2 N‑VAR A fig or a fig tree is a tree on which figs grow.
fig.
1 In books and magazines, fig. is used as an abbreviation for figure in order to tell the reader which picture or diagram is being referred to. □ Draw the basic outlines in black felt-tip pen (see fig. 4).
2 In some dictionaries and language books, fig. is used as an abbreviation for figurative .
fight ◆◆◆ /fa I t/ (fights , fighting , fought )
1 VERB If you fight something unpleasant, you try in a determined way to prevent it or stop it happening. □ [V n] More units to fight forest fires are planned. □ [V + against ] I've spent a lifetime fighting against racism and prejudice. ● N‑COUNT Fight is also a noun. □ [+ against ] …the fight against drug addiction.
2 VERB If you fight for something, you try in a determined way to get it or achieve it. □ [V + for ] Our members are willing to fight for a decent pay rise. □ [V to-inf] I told him how we had fought to hold on to the company. □ [V n prep/adv] The team has fought its way to the cup final. ● N‑COUNT Fight is also a noun. □ [+ for ] I too am committing myself to continue the fight for justice.
3 VERB If an army or group fights a battle with another army or group, they oppose each other with weapons. You can also say that two armies or groups fight a battle. □ [V n + over/for ] The two men fought a battle over land and water rights. □ [V n + with ] In the latest incident police fought a gun battle with a gang. □ [V n + for/over ] Clans had fought each other for centuries over ownership of pastures. [Also V , V n]
4 VERB If a person or army fights in a battle or a war, they take part in it. □ [V ] He fought in the war and was taken prisoner by the enemy. □ [V + for ] If I were a young man I would sooner go to prison than fight for this country. □ [V n] My father did leave his university to fight the Germans. □ [V n prep/adv] Last month rebels fought their way into the capital. ● fight|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ More than nine hundred people have died in the fighting.
5 → see also dogfight
6 VERB If one person fights with another, or fights them, the two people hit or kick each other because they want to hurt each other. You can also say that two people fight . □ [V + with ] As a child she fought with her younger sister. □ [V n] I did fight him, I punched him but it was like hitting a wall. □ [V n + for ] He wrenched the crutch from Jacob, who didn't fight him for it. □ [V ] I refuse to act that way when my kids fight. □ [V n] You get a lot of unruly drunks fighting each other. ● N‑COUNT Fight is also a noun. □ [+ with ] He had had a fight with Smith and bloodied his nose.
7 VERB If one person fights with another, or fights them, they have an angry disagreement or quarrel. You can also say that two people fight . [INFORMAL ] □ [V + with ] She was always arguing with him and fighting with him. □ [V n] Gwendolen started fighting her teachers. □ [V + about/over , V n prep] Mostly, they fight about paying bills. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Fight is also a noun. □ We think maybe he took off because he had a big fight with his dad the night before.