tug of war

Short definition from Wiktionary

Noun

1. 1
   A game or competition in which two teams pull or tug on opposite ends of a rope trying to force the other team over the line which initially marked the middle between the two teams.
2. 2
   A dispute between two parties, particularly an entrenched, back-and-forth dispute.
3. 3
   Alternative spelling of tug of war.