wrestle

(noun) the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat. Synonyms: wrestling, grapple, grappling, hand-to-hand struggle. Examples: "They had a fierce wrestle." "We watched his grappling and wrestling with the bully."

(verb) combat to overcome an opposing tendency or force. Example: "He wrestled all his life with his feeling of inferiority."

(verb) engage in deep thought, consideration, or debate. Example: "I wrestled with this decision for years."

(verb) to move in a twisting or contorted motion, (especially when struggling). Synonyms: writhe, wriggle, worm, squirm, twist. Examples: "The prisoner writhed in discomfort." "The child tried to wriggle free from his aunt's embrace."

(verb) engage in a wrestling match. Example: "The children wrestled in the garden."