pugilisticsn.
/ˌpjuːdʒᵻˈlɪstɪks/, U.S. /ˌpjudʒəˈlɪstɪks/ Originally U.S.
= pugilism n. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > fighting sports > boxing > [noun]
defence1549
pugilation1656
fencing1692
boxing1693
the (noble, also manly) art of self-defence1724
noble art1749
bruising1750
ring1770
noble science1778
pugilism1788
sparring1797
the sweet science1810
the fancy1820
pugilistics1820
pugnastics1830
fista1839
scrapping1891
ring-work1899
no contest1922
1820 W. Tooke tr. Lucian Lucian of Samosata I. 720 An athlete famous for his strength, who in the 25th olympiad bore away the prize in pugilistics.
1834 S. Kirkham Ess. on Elocution (ed. 2) i. vii. 152 If he would become an adept in wrestling or boxing, he receives instruction from a professor in pugilisticks.
1876 New Englander (New Haven, Connecticut) 34 684 Neither duelling, nor pugilistics, nor gambling,..none of these things nor many more come under legislative regulation.
1902 T. L. Cuyler Recoll. Long Life xv. 246 The Presbyterians were often a fair match for their Methodist neighbors in these theological pugilistics.
1962 Brainerd (Minnesota) Daily Dispatch 19 Apr. 10 We'll show these ancient Greeks a thing or two about pugilistics!
2008 W. McCuaig tr. E. Roudinesco Philos. in Turbulent Times (2010) ii. 44 The encounter turned into a bout of intellectual pugilistics.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1820