playfighting
Friendly fake brawling
Playfighting is mock combat—wrestling, sparring, or roughhousing without intent to harm.
Children and young animals playfight to develop physical skills and social bonds.
Adults may playfight affectionately: The couple was playfighting over the remote.
The line between playfighting and real fighting can blur when someone gets carried away.
Combat sport requiring holds
- tussleBrief physical struggle
- roughhousingRowdy physical play
- horseplayBoisterous rough behavior
- scuffleBrief disorderly struggle
grapple · tumble · shoving · headlock · takedown · pounce · tackle · pinning
Leaping to attack
- chasingFollowing to catch
- nippingBiting lightly, sharply
- pawingClumsy, grabby touching
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
stalking · cubs · littermates · social bonding · prey drive
Developing abilities through practice
- drillHole-boring device
- feintingDeceptive combat maneuver
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
- blockingImpeding forward progress
parrying · jabbing · footwork · shadowboxing · light contact
Imaginative play or fantasy
- roleplayAdopt another's perspective
- actingTemporarily holding position
- cops and robbersChildren's game of chase
- cowboys and IndiansChildhood role-playing chase game
superheroes · knights · pirates · lightsaber duel · dramatic death · playacting
wrestling
Combat sport requiring holds
- tussleBrief physical struggle
- roughhousingRowdy physical play
- horseplayBoisterous rough behavior
scuffle · grapple · tumble · shoving · headlock · takedown · pounce · tackle · pinning · bodyslam
pouncing
Leaping to attack
biting · stalking · cubs · littermates · social bonding · prey drive
training
Developing abilities through practice
blocking · parrying · jabbing · footwork · shadowboxing · light contact
make-believe
Imaginative play or fantasy
- roleplayAdopt another's perspective
- actingTemporarily holding position
- cops and robbersChildren's game of chase
cowboys and Indians · superheroes · knights · pirates · lightsaber duel · dramatic death · playacting
playfightingbrawling
Fighting noisily in public
assault · warfare · combat · mortal combat · battery
playfightingcombat training
Military fighting instruction
self-defense · war · battle
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