If someone is pugnacious, they are very ready to argue or to fight. They do not wait to be pushed; they go looking for a clash. It can be physical — a pugnacious little dog that barks at every passer-by — but more often now it is about words: a pugnacious politician, a pugnacious essay.

If someone is pugnacious如果一個人pugnacious, they are very ready to argue or to fight他們非常隨時準備吵架或打架。They do not wait to be pushed他們不會等別人先挑釁; they go looking for a clash自己就會去找衝突。It can be physical這可以是肢體上的 — a pugnacious little dog that barks at every passer-by一隻對每個路人都吠的好鬥小狗 — but more often now it is about words但現在更常是指言語上的: a pugnacious politician, a pugnacious essay好鬥的政治人物、好鬥的文章。

It is a fairly formal adjective, a little bookish. Stronger than argumentative, more personal than aggressive: the old picture is of someone with their fists up. Though actually, you can be pugnacious without throwing a punch; the fight can be all talk.

It is a fairly formal adjective, a little bookish這是個相當正式、有點書面的形容詞。Stronger than argumentative比argumentative更強烈, more personal than aggressive比aggressive更針對個人: the old picture is of someone with their fists up舊的畫面是一個人舉著拳頭準備打架。Though actually, you can be pugnacious without throwing a punch不過其實你可以pugnacious卻完全沒動手; the fight can be all talk這場「打鬥」可以完全只是口舌之爭。

It comes from Latin for fighting with the fist, so it shares a deep root with pugilist, but it is not a boxing word in modern English.

It comes from Latin for fighting with the fist這個字來自拉丁文，意思是用拳頭打架, so it shares a deep root with pugilist所以它跟pugilist（拳擊手）有共同的字根, but it is not a boxing word in modern English但在現代英文裡它不是拳擊用語。

Calling someone pugnacious is rarely a simple compliment. It can mean they have fight in them, or that they tire everyone out.

Calling someone pugnacious is rarely a simple compliment說一個人pugnacious很少是單純的稱讚。It can mean they have fight in them可能是說他們骨子裡有鬥志, or that they tire everyone out也可能是說他們把身邊所有人都搞得筋疲力盡。