fight off a cold

Meaning

This phrase means to try to prevent an illness from developing, or to recover from one, by using your immune system or resting. It implies that your body is actively battling the virus before it gets worse.

Examples

• I'm drinking plenty of orange juice and resting to help my body fight off a cold.

  I'm drinking plenty of orange juice and resting to help my body fight off a cold.

• She felt a tickle in her throat and spent the weekend trying to fight off a cold.

  She felt a tickle in her throat and spent the weekend trying to fight off a cold.

• Your immune system works hard when you sleep to fight off a cold or infection.

  Your immune system works hard when you sleep to fight off a cold or infection.

• I've been taking vitamin C supplements all week to fight off a cold that my coworker has.

  I've been taking vitamin C supplements all week to fight off a cold that my coworker has.

• He managed to fight off a cold just in time for his wedding day.

  He managed to fight off a cold just in time for his wedding day.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I am fighting out a cold.

  ✓ I am fighting off a cold.

  The correct phrasal verb is 'fight off'. 'Fight out' means to settle a dispute by fighting until there is a winner.

• ✗ I took medicine to fight off my broken arm.

  ✓ I took medicine to manage the pain from my broken arm.

  You can only 'fight off' illnesses, infections, or viruses that your immune system can battle, not structural injuries like broken bones.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I'm going to bed early tonight to try and _____ before the weekend.

  💡 To try to prevent an illness from developing by resting or boosting your immune system.

  Show answer

  fight off a cold

• Drinking hot tea with honey is my favorite way to _____.

  💡 To try to prevent an illness from developing by resting or boosting your immune system.

  Show answer

  fight off a cold