fracas
/ˈfrakɑː
/noun (plural same /ˈfrakɑːz/ or US fracases)
A noisy disturbance or quarrel: the fracas was broken up by stewards...
- There were fights and fracas where I saw guns, knives, baseball bats and the rest, but nothing I couldn't handle.
- During the fracas, a single gun shot was fired leaving a 24-year-old man wounded..
- Fowler also suffered a suspected broken nose in April 1999 during a fracas outside a Liverpool hotel.
Synonyms
disturbance, quarrel, scuffle, brawl, affray, tussle, melee, free-for-all, fight, clash, skirmish, brouhaha, riot, uproar, commotion;
argument, altercation, angry exchange, war of words, shouting match, tiff, dispute, disagreement, row, wrangle, squabble, rumpus;
Scottish stooshie;
Irish, North American, & Australian donnybrook;
West Indian bangarang
informal falling-out, set-to, run-in, shindig, shindy, dust-up, punch-up, scrap, spat, ruckus, argy-bargy, ruction, fisticuffs
British informal barney, bunfight, ding-dong, bust-up, ruck, slanging match
British informal, Football afters
Scottish informal rammy
North American informal rhubarb
archaic broil, miff
Origin
Early 18th century: French, from fracasser, from Italian fracassare 'make an uproar'.