Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

pugna, ae, f. [root pug, in pugno and pungo; cf. pugil], prop. a fight fist to fist, man to man; hence, in gen., a fight between individuals or armies, a battle, combat, action, engagement (cf.: dimicatio, proelium).

  1. I. Lit.: dictator eam pugnam laudibus tulit (of the single combat of Torquatus), Liv. 7, 10 fin.: nonnumquam res ad manus atque ad pugnam veniebat, came to blows, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 28; Liv. 2, 46: diuturnitate pugnae defessi proelio excedebant, Caes. B. G. 3, 4, 3: alii nuntiant dictatori omnes legiones Etruscorum capessisse pugnam, Liv. 10, 5, 41: ex omnibus pugnis (Pompeii), quae sunt innumerabiles, Cic. Mur. 16, 34: exitus pugnarum, id. Mil. 21, 56: equestris, a cavalry action, id. Verr. 2, 4, 55, § 122: magna, Liv. 22, 7: pedestris, Verg. A. 11, 707: Actia, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 61: navalis, Nep. Arist. 2, 1: gladiatorum, Suet. Aug. 45: prospera, Suet. Calig. 35: mala, Sall. J. 56, 3; Cic. Div. 2, 25, 54: singularis, a duel, Macr. S. 5, 2.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Troops drawn up for battle, a line of battle (rare): ordinata per principes hastatosque ac triarios pugna, Liv. 22, 5: mediam pugnam tueri, the middle line, central division, id. 22, 45; cf.: segregat pugnam eorum, id. 1, 25: pugnam mutare, Curt. 3, 2, 14.
    2. B. A battle, contest, dispute, quarrel, in gen. (rare but class.): dabo aliam pugnam magnam, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 110: pugnam conserui seni, id. Bacch. 4, 9, 43; Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 60: quanta pugna est doctissimorum hominum, Cic. Div. 2, 51, 105: initurus forensium certaminum pugnam, Quint. 5, 12, 22; 8, 6, 1; 5, 7, 35: pugna inter testem et patronum, id. 6, 4, 21: rerum naturae pugna secum, Plin. 2, 33, 38, § 102: audiet pugnas juventus, stories of battle, Hor. C. 1, 2, 23: pugnas bibit aure vulgus, id. ib. 2, 13, 31.
      In mal. part., Mart. 10, 38, 6.

pugnus, i, m. [root pug-; v. pugil, pugno].

  1. I. A fist: pugnus a punctione, id est percussu dicitur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 219 Müll.: manum plane comprimere pugnumque facere, Cic. Ac. 2, 47, 145: certare pugnis, calcibus, unguibus, id. Tusc. 5, 27, 77; cf. id. Verr. 2, 3, 23, § 56: pugnis contundere aliquem, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 46: pugnum impingere alicui in os, id. Rud. 3, 4, 5: pugnis onerare, id. Am. 1, 1, 72: obtundere, id. ib. 2, 1, 59: pugnos in ventrem ingerere, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 95: pugnum ducere alicui, to give one a blow with the fist, Dig. 47, 10, 4: percusserit proximum suum pugno, Vulg. Exod. 21, 18.
    Poet., of boxing: neque pugno Neque segni pede victus, Hor. C. 3, 12, 8; 1, 12, 26: Castor gaudet equis, ovo prognatus eodem Pugnis, id. S. 2, 1, 27.
  2. II. Transf., as a measure, a fistful, handful, Cato, R. R. 82; Marc. Emp. 8 med.: pugnus aeris, Sen. Ira, 3, 33, 1.