Fisticuffed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Engaged in a physical fight using only the fists as weapons
2. Struck or battled someone repeatedly using punches with closed hands
3. Fought hand-to-hand with blows delivered by the fists

Etymology: "Fisticuffed" is the past tense of a verb formed from "fisticuffs," which means fighting with the fists. The noun combines "fist," from Old English "fīst," with "cuff," a word for a blow, whose earlier origin is uncertain. Speakers turned the plural-looking noun into a verb, so the past tense sounds like any other regular verb.