join battle

join battle
    v 1: engage in a conflict; "The battle over health care reform
         was joined"
    

34 Moby Thesaurus words for "join battle":
      antagonize, battle, beat against, beat up against, breast the wave,
      buck, buffet, buffet the waves, close with, combat, compete with,
      contend against, contest, do battle, engage, engage in battle,
      fight, fight against, give battle, grapple with, join battle with,
      join issue, labor against, militate against, offer resistance,
      reluct, reluctate, rival, stem the tide, strive against,
      struggle against, take on, try conclusions, vie with