digladiar

Senses

1. 1.

   to fight, to battle

   to engage in physical combat, especially with swords or weapons

2. 2.

   to clash, to dispute

   to engage in verbal or ideological conflict

Examples

• "Os gladiadores digladiavam na arena romana."

  The gladiators fought in the Roman arena.

• "Os políticos se digladiaram durante o debate televisionado."

  The politicians clashed during the televised debate.

• "As duas empresas digladiam-se pelo controle do mercado."

  The two companies are battling for market control.

Usage

Formal/literary register. Commonly used reflexively (digladiar-se). While originally referring to physical combat with swords (from Latin gladius = sword), it's now more frequently used figuratively for intense verbal disputes or competitive struggles.