tug–of–war 
/ˌtʌgəvˈwoɚ/ noun
plural tugs–of–war /ˌtʌgəvˈwoɚ/ noun 1 [singular] : a contest in which two teams pull against each other at opposite ends of a rope 2 [count] : a struggle between two people or groups to win control or possession of something — usually singular ▪ The two countries have been involved in a tug-of-war over control of the region.
