WordNet
adj. characterized by disorderly action and disregard for rules; "a rough-and-tumble fight"; "rough-and-tumble politics"; "undisguised bare-knuckle capitalism" [syn: rough-and-tumble, bare-knuckled]
Wikipedia
Bare-knuckle means without gloves, bandages or any other protection for and/or dangerous 'arming' (such as a knuckle-duster) of the knuckles, a larger part or even the whole hand. It refers specifically to:
- Bare-knuckle boxing, boxing without boxing gloves
- Bare Knuckles, a 1977 American blaxploitation film directed by Don Edmonds
- Bare Knuckles (1921 film), a 1921 American drama film directed by James P. Hogan
- Bare Knuckle, the original Japanese name for the Streets of Rage series of video games
- Fighting in ice hockey, in ice hockey rule books, fighting is referred to as "fisticuffs" as they fight without gloves, and is therefore "bare-knuckle"
- Vale tudo, a name for a form of no rules fighting from Brazil
- Bare Knuckle Pickups, a business that produces hand-wound guitar pickups in the United Kingdom
Usage examples of "bare-knuckle".
Of course, I have to admit I'm a politician from a pretty bare-knuckled school, not a polished, cultured diplomat, and she and I have never liked each other a lot, anyway.
As a Centrist, she wasn't particularly fond of Montaigne's bare-knuckled political style, and she'd never cared for the Liberal Party, even before New Kiev sold out to High Ridge.
Clearly the treacherous bitch had realized the chairman would have muzzled her—or, at the very least, warned Tonkovic—if he'd dreamed she was about to launch such a crude, bare-knuckled assault on the dignity of Tonkovic's office.
Clearly the treacherous bitch had realized the chairman would have muzzled her-or, at the very least, warned Tonkovic-if he'd dreamed she was about to launch such a crude, bare-knuckled assault on the dignity of Tonkovic's office.
That was bare-knuckled fighting and I saw a lot of strong men go down.
Like two bare-knuckled boxers, deep in their thirtieth or fortieth round, both bleeding and dazed, yet neither willing to give up, the two ships pounded each other.
Dainsey could deal with a bare-knuckled brawl in an alley and had hidden from soldiers and the monks loyal to Markwart for weeks in terrible conditions.
Then he made a living for a while on the illegal bare-knuckle circuit.