Definition

Proper noun 1. A historical event: The name given to the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, fought on April 19, 1775, in the towns of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. This event is often called "the shot heard round the world" and marked the beginning of open armed conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and its thirteen colonies in America.

Usage

• As a historical reference, "Lexington and Concord" is treated as a singular event.
  • The battles of Lexington and Concord were a turning point in colonial history.
  • Every American schoolchild learns about Lexington and Concord.
• It can function as the subject or object of a sentence.
  • Lexington and Concord ignited the Revolutionary War.
  • The British troops marched to Lexington and Concord to seize colonial arms.

Advanced Usage

• "The shot heard 'round the world": A famous phrase from Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Concord Hymn" (1837) used to describe the opening shot at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, emphasizing its world-historical significance.
  • Emerson's poem commemorates "the shot heard 'round the world" fired at Lexington and Concord.
• Used metonymically to represent the start of the American Revolution or the spirit of American resistance.
  • For the colonists, Lexington and Concord symbolized the fight for liberty.

Variants and Related Words

• The Battles of Lexington and Concord: A more formal, explicit variant.
• April 19, 1775: The specific date of the event.
• The Revolutionary War / The American Revolution: The broader conflict that this event began.

Synonyms

• The first battle of the American Revolution.
• The opening engagements of the Revolutionary War.

Related Phrases

• "The Redcoats are coming!": A phrase associated with Paul Revere's (and others') famous midnight ride to warn the colonial militia of the British army's movement toward Lexington and Concord.
  • The warning, "The Redcoats are coming!" preceded the fighting at Lexington and Concord.
• "Stand your ground" / "Don't fire unless fired upon": Commands reportedly given to the colonial militia at Lexington.
  • Captain John Parker told his minutemen at Lexington to "stand your ground."

Noun

1. the first battle of the American Revolution (April 19, 1775)