Lewis & Short

dīmĭcātĭo, ōnis, f. [dimico], a fight, combat, furious encounter (cf.: pugna, proelium, certamen, contentio, acies; freq. and good prose).

  1. I. Lit., Caes. B. C. 3, 111, 2; Hirt. B. G. 8, 11; Liv. 25, 6 fin.; 31, 35 fin.; Suet. Aug. 10; 17; Plin. 8, 7, 7, § 18; Front. Strat. 2, 1, 11 et saep.
    In plur., Caes. B. G. 7, 86, 3; Front. Strat. 1, 11, 12.
          1. (β) With gen.: proelii, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 1, § 5: universae rei, a pitched battle, general engagement, Liv. 1, 38; for which, universa, id. 22, 32.
  2. II. Transf. beyond the milit. sphere, a combating, struggling; a contest: non modo contentione, sed etiam dimicatione elaborandum, Cic. Fam. 2, 6 fin.: talis in remp. nostram labor, assiduitas, dimicatio, id. Balb. 2 fin.; Liv. 10, 24; Quint. 5, 7, 3; 6, 4, 4 al.
          1. (β) With gen.: vitae, i. e. a perilous contest, Cic. Planc. 32: capitis, id. Prov. Cons. 9, 23; cf.: capitis, famae, fortunarumque omnium, id. Rab. Perd. 2, 5: fortunae (c. c. discrimen), id. Sull. 28.