- 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:
"Let me tell you, Mariusz Wach would put his fist through Joshua's opponent, whoever he is," Fury said.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The Belgian team copied Trump's unmistakable swaying fist pumps as they celebrated their 4-1 thrashing of the co-hosts on Monday, dancing and singing the song on the pitch and in the changing room.
From Barron's ● Jul. 7, 2026
For many Cubans, however, he represented something else entirely: the hard fist of the revolutionary state.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
I don’t linger but admire the genius of it, grab a fist of Rioja Alta and head to the rooftop lounge for a sunset thought amid stunning views of the city.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
I’m closing in on the wall, ten meters to go, and when my hands slam into it and Coach jumps up, thrusting his fist in the air, I know I’ve done it.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
“If somebody is giving you any kind of stares or conflict, you’ve got to talk to the staff. You can’t use your fists or your feet,” Kaye said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Mathieu Choinière pumped his fists as though he were operating a handcrank.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
The Care Bears owners have spent “three years in board meetings for five hours at a time shaking our fists at the sky about how great Hello Kitty is,” Collins said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
The thud of fists walloping punching bags reverberates through the gym from morning until evening.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
I curled my fingers into tight fists, trying to crush that feeling out of me.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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
“My parents experienced such loss at the fisted hands of authoritarianism that the American law enforcement officer stood as a tangible symbol of safety and the rule of law in our new home.”
From New York Times ● Feb. 8, 2024
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
Then one hundred children erupt into four fast claps, their fisted arms raised to the sky, and scream “Angkar! Angkar! Angkar!”
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
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
Her jaw tightened, her hands fisting in the hem of her shirt.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
Cardan watches him go, hands fisting at his sides.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
