fight for life

fight for (one's) life

To actively try to stay alive, as of one who is sick, injured, or being attacked. She's been fighting for her life for days—she really needs an organ transplant.
See also: fight, life
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

ˌfight for (your) ˈlife

make a great effort to stay alive, especially when you are badly injured or seriously ill: A young cyclist is fighting for his life after the accident.
See also: fight, life
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • fight for (one's) life
  • on the sidelines
  • check in on (someone or something)
  • all over something
  • organ
  • organ grinder's monkey
  • the organ grinder's monkey
  • in the swim
  • in the swim of things
  • in(to) the swim (of things)
References in classic literature
You may judge what a fight for life it was; I did not kill him outright, but I wounded him dangerously.
Facino Cane
Wellington, Dec 3 ( ANI ): Former international cricketers Simon Doull and Chris Cairns are contemplating taking on each other in the boxing ring in the Fight for Life event in Auckland on December 14.
Cairns and Doull ready to punch each other's brains out all for charity!
Yet there are others who lose the fight for life, leaving families totally devastated.
Beating cancer; Comment The policy of honesty. The might of right. The expediency of principle
Summary: Essex house fire claims sixth victim as doctor's daughter, 3, loses fight for life.
Essex house fire: Fifth child dies
Heather Kennedy lost her fight for life after being rushed to hospital with head injuries following a fall at her family's rented first-floor flat in Tenerife.
HOLIDAY FALL GIRL,7, LOSES FIGHT FOR LIFE; Family's grief over little Heather
HUGH GAITSKELL, the Labour Party leader, died at the Middlesex Hospital last night after a "tremendous fight for life." Only his wife was with him in his private ward, and she called a doctor, but it was too late.
RETRO REPORT; Hugh Gaitskell's brave struggle for life ends
Medics were called and Rikki put up a three-day fight for life but the youngster died in hospital.
Teenager tributes paid on internet
Medics were called and Rikki put up a three-day fight for life but a spokesman for Northumbria Police yesterday confirmed that the young man had died in hospital.
Christmas Eve attack victim dies in hospital
All five were taken to the town's Royal Alexandra Hospital where the elderly woman lost her fight for life at 8pm.
OAP dies and man fights for life after smash; Update
Sextuplet baby loses fight for life ONE of the sextuplets born at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford lost his fight for life yesterday.
Sextuplet baby loses fight for [...]; 60second briefing
A TEENAGER has lost his fight for life after an incident at a night club.
Teenager loses fight for life; INBRIEF
Craig was also stabbed and injured, but yesterday appeared to be winning his fight for life.
The Sex Doctor: Dad dies for his son
A baby girl who was born after both her parents were killed in a car crash has lost her brief fight for life.
Baby girl born after horror crash dies
William McEvoy died at the Royal Liverpool hospital after a two-week fight for life. The 69-year-old, who lived alone, had been to a friend's funeral when he was hit by a white Vauxhall Vectra while crossing Park Road near its junction with High Park Street, Toxteth, at 9.50pm on April 14.
Appeal as OAP dies
TO mark Taneea's amazing fight for life, she has been chosen as a Sunday Mercury Wonderkid.
Living: Real lives - HONOUR FOR BRAVE TANEEA