dogfight

See also: dog-fight and dog fight

English

Etymology

From dog +‎ fight.

Noun

dogfight (plural dogfights)

(aviation, military) A twisting turning battle between two or more military aircraft, especially between fighters.
The two bi-planes swirled around each other like angry wasps in a violent dogfight.
A fight between dogs, especially as part of the blood sport of dogfighting.

Translations

fight between dogs

Dutch: hondengevecht (nl) n
Finnish: koiratappelu (fi)
French: combat de chiens m
German: Hundekampf m
Italian: combattimento tra cani m
Polish: walka psów f
Spanish: pelea de perros f
Turkish: it dalaşı

fight between military aircraft

Finnish: ilmataistelu (fi), hävittäjätaistelu, kaartotaistelu
French: combat aérien m
German: Luftkampf (de) m
Italian: combattimento aereo m

Verb

dogfight (third-person singular simple present dogfights, present participle dogfighting, simple past and past participle dogfought)

To engage in a battle between fighter planes.
Missiles exhausted, the pilot was forced to close and dogfight with his opponent.