tussle

/ˈtʌsəl/
noun
  1. A physical fight or struggle, often not very serious.
    • The cat and dog had a playful tussle on the rug.
    • A tussle broke out at the end of the soccer match.
    • The two kids got into a brief tussle over the toy.
  2. A difficult struggle or argument to get or achieve something.
    • The company is in a tussle with its competitors for market share.
    • There was a legal tussle over the ownership of the land.
    • She had a long tussle with the insurance company to get her claim paid.
verb
  1. To fight or struggle with someone, usually in a rough but not very serious way.
    • The two players tussled for the ball near the goal.
    • He tussled with his brother over the remote control.
    • The children tussled on the grass until their mother called them.
  2. To struggle or compete hard to get or achieve something.
    • Small businesses often tussle with large corporations for customers.
    • The two politicians tussled for control of the committee.
    • She tussled with the difficult math problem for an hour.