Enfiladed: meaning, definitions and examples

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enfiladed

 

[ ɛnˈfɪleɪdɪd ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

military tactics

The term 'enfiladed' refers to a situation in military tactics where troops are positioned in such a way that they can deliver fire along the length of an enemy's formation. This positioning is particularly advantageous as it increases the effectiveness of the firepower against the enemy's flank. An enfilade attack can result in devastating effects on the opposing forces due to their inability to adequately defend against such an assault.

Synonyms

cross-fired, flanked

Examples of usage

  • The soldiers enfiladed the enemy lines with a sudden volley.
  • Using the terrain, the commanders planned an enfiladed maneuver.
  • The troops moved to enfilade the advancing forces.

Translations

Translations of the word "enfiladed" in other languages:

🇵🇹 enfiladado

🇮🇳 स्ट्रेट लाइन में

🇩🇪 enfiladiert

🇮🇩 dalam garis

🇺🇦 енфіладування

🇵🇱 enfilad

🇯🇵 並んだ

🇫🇷 enfilade

🇪🇸 enfilada

🇹🇷 sıralı

🇰🇷 일렬로 배열된

🇸🇦 مرتبة في صف

🇨🇿 enfiláda

🇸🇰 enfiláda

🇨🇳 成排的

🇸🇮 enfilada

🇮🇸 í ra

🇰🇿 қатарланған

🇬🇪 ენფილადა

🇦🇿 sıralanmış

🇲🇽 enfilada

Word origin

The word 'enfilade' originates from the French term 'enfilade,' which combines 'en' meaning 'in' or 'into' and 'filade' meaning 'to thread through' or 'to line up.' The term historically emerged in military jargon during the 18th century and has been used to describe a tactic that maximizes the effectiveness of fire against an enemy. The concept involves using positioning and angles to exploit the vulnerabilities of opponents, particularly in terms of their formation and defenses. Over time, it has evolved to encompass a broader strategic implication within the context of warfare, encompassing both direct and indirect combat scenarios. Today, it retains its specialized military connotation but is also occasionally used in more general contexts to denote aligned attacks or threats that come from a linear or side-approaching direction.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,263, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.