pugnare

Pugnare is a Latin verb of the first conjugation meaning to fight, to contend, or to strive, both in a martial sense and in a figurative sense such as disputing a point or opposing an obstacle. It appears widely in classical Latin in descriptions of battles, duels, and rhetorical or legal contests. The principal parts are pugnō, pugnāre, pugnāvī, pugnātum.

Usage and constructions: Pugnare takes a direct object in the accusative when the opponent is a person or thing (for example, pugnāvit hostem, he fought the enemy). It can also be used with prepositions to indicate opposition or support, such as contrā + acc. (pugnāre contrā hostēs, to fight against the enemies) or prō + abl. (pugnāre prō libertāte, to fight for liberty). Latin authors also employ it in extended phrases describing conflicts of arms, ideas, or will.

Morphology: As a 1st-conjugation verb, its present active indicative forms are pugnō, pugnās, pugnāt, pugnāmus, pugnātis, pugnant. The imperfect is pugnābam, pugnābās, pugnābat, etc.; the perfect active is pugnāvī, pugnāvistī, pugnāvit, etc. The passive is formed as pugnor, pugnāris, pugnātur, pugnāmur, pugnāminī, pugnantur. The supine is pugnātum, and the perfect passive participle is pugnātus.

Related forms include the noun pugna (a fight), the agent noun pugnātor (fighter), and the adjective pugnax (combative). English derivatives include pugnate forms such as pugnacious and repugnant (both reflecting the same Latin roots).

In usage, pugnare remains a standard example of a simple, productive Latin verb illustrating both literal combat and argumentative or moral struggle.