[brawl] 
| 1. | a noisy quarrel, squabble, or fight. |
| 2. | a bubbling or roaring noise; a clamor. |
| 3. | Slang. a large, noisy party. |
| 4. | to quarrel angrily and noisily; wrangle. |
| 5. | to make a bubbling or roaring noise, as water flowing over a rocky bed. |
| brawl (brôl) n.
[Middle English braul, from braullen, to quarrel.] brawl'er n., brawl'ing·ly adv. Synonyms: These nouns denote a noisy, disorderly, and often violent quarrel or fight: a barroom brawl; a broil between the opposing teams; a vicious legal donnybrook; a fracas among prison inmates; eager for the fray; a free-for-all in the schoolyard; police plunging into the melee; an angry domestic row. |
brawl
12th-century French chain dance adopted (c. 1450-c. 1650) by European aristocrats, especially in France and in England, where the word branle was anglicized as "brawl." Named for its characteristic side-to-side movement (French branler, "to sway"), the branle was performed by a chain of dancers who alternated large sideways steps to the left (frequently four) with an equal number of smaller steps to the right. Thus the chain, usually of couples intertwining arms or holding hands, progressed to the left in a circle or serpentine figure. Branles were danced with walking, running, gliding, or skipping steps depending on the speed of the music, which was composed in 44 time.
Learn more about brawl with a free trial on Britannica.com.
