Urging to abandon knife fighting (5)

I believe the answer is:

vying

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'fighting' is the definition.
(vie means to compete or fight)

I don't understand the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for vying that I've seen before include "in contention" , "Struggling" , "Eagerly competing" , "Striving" , "Engaged in rivalry" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times and The Sunday Times.

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