- a variation of feist.
fist
1 Americannoun
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the hand closed tightly, with the fingers doubled into the palm.
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Informal. the hand.
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Informal. a person's handwriting.
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Printing. index.
verb (used with object)
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fists,
present (3rd person singular)
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fisted,
past participle, past
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fisting
present participle
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to make (one's hand) into a fist.
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to grasp in the fist.
noun
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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fistsimple
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fistssimple
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have fistedperfect
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has fistedperfect
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am fistingprogressive
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are fistingprogressive
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is fistingprogressive
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have been fistingperfect progressive
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has been fistingperfect progressive
Past
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fistedsimple
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had fistedperfect
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was fistingprogressive
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were fistingprogressive
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had been fistingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of fist
before 900; Middle English; Old English fȳst; cognate with German Faust fist; perhaps akin to five
Explanation
Want to hit a punching bag? First you need to curl your fingers into your palm to make a fist, or a clenched hand. You might make a fist and bump it against your friend's as a greeting, or use it to clutch something tightly: "She held the balloon in one fist, and an ice cream cone in the other." Fists are also used to punch hard, and a fist fight is a serious physical altercation. When we trace this word back to its origin, we find a closely related root meaning "five," for the five fingers of a hand.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Still, “China is very savvy and is not charging back into the market, buying crude hand over fist, when prices are in triple digits and freight rates are so high.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Her iconic, two-sided “Black Unity” features two faces on one side and on the other a raised fist, the enduring representation of the Black Power Movement and anti-racism.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
He dropped to his knees, then sprang up, punched his fist into the air and shouted: "We have done it."
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
Showing off one truck, Kuniskis pumped his fist and revved the engine before a crowd of enthusiasts and content creators.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
His thick fist followed the line till he came to a heavy hook.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
The room pounds their fists on the tables to the bridge of Metallica’s “One,” a harrowing anthem about the horrors of war.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
They delivered a brief eulogy, then pressed their fists to their chests and called out: “Forever in our ranks!”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
When Haaland scored a goal that threatened to offer City an unlikely lifeline, he remained seated but pumped his fists into the air.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
And then, like Wile E. Coyote, the upset moviegoers will raise their fists again.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
The cleverest and oldest girl informed Samir that Stone Fist technique was for fists, but Samir taunted them all with a guffaw.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
With the always-excellent Paudie Clifford influential early on, Kerry feasted on Mayo nerves to register the game's three opening scores, with David Clifford striking twice after Dylan Casey fisted over the bar.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
With one out in the sixth, Gleyber Torres fisted a clean single to right field for New York’s first hit - drawing a sarcastic Bronx cheer from the crowd of 42,440.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 23, 2023
During a mostly overcast and breezy Sunday at the Hermosa Beach Pier, the fight for the $125,000 purse intensified as the tournament’s darlings fisted volleyballs and grunted into the sunscreen-scented air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2022
Their heads snapped right and left as punches landed, and their coaches called out the kind of direction that has echoed through gyms going back to the days when people fought bare fisted.
From New York Times ● Aug. 18, 2021
In Cathair she gasped out loud, crumpling the sheets into her fisted hands.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
Sabathia nicked Benintendi on the bicep with the first pitch of the third inning, and Pearce followed by fisting a 2-2 cutter to center field that sent Benintendi to third.
From New York Times ● Oct. 10, 2018
Pakistan goalkeeper Muzammil Hussain made some fine saves, fisting off attempts by India captain Sunil Chhetri, Thongkhosiem Haokip and Francis Fernandes.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 20, 2014
Conger scored on Aybar's groundout and Mike Trout delivered the tying run, fighting off a 2-2 pitch and fisting it over the head of first baseman Pearce for an RBI single.
From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2013
Cardan watches him go, hands fisting at his sides.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Her jaw tightened, her hands fisting in the hem of her shirt.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
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