This verb describes combat with wild animals, particularly in the context of Roman arena spectacles where condemned persons or gladiators faced lions, bears, or other beasts. Paul's reference in 1 Corinthians uses this imagery—whether literal danger or metaphorical opposition is debated—to convey the ferocity of his struggles in Ephesus. The multilingual glosses consistently emphasize the beast-fighting aspect, with Spanish and French preserving the literal "fought with beasts" construction that captures both possible meanings.