agincourt
Proper noun A decisive battle fought on October 25, 1415, during the Hundred Years' War, in which a significantly outnumbered English army, led by King Henry V and relying heavily on longbowmen, achieved a famous victory over the French army near the village of Azincourt (Agincourt) in northern France.
Agincourt is used almost exclusively as a proper noun to refer to this specific historical event. It is a key reference point in military history, English national identity, and literature.
Examples - The Battle of Agincourt is a classic example of tactical superiority overcoming numerical disadvantage. - Shakespeare's play Henry V famously dramatizes the events leading up to and including Agincourt. - Military historians still study the terrain and deployment of forces at Agincourt.
- "an Agincourt": Used metaphorically to describe any situation where a seemingly weaker party achieves a surprising and decisive victory against overwhelming odds.
- The small startup's victory over the industry giant was a modern business Agincourt.
- Azincourt: The modern French spelling and name of the village where the battle took place.
- Battle of Agincourt: The full, formal name of the event.
- The English Victory (of 1415): A descriptive synonym.
- "The band of brothers": A phrase from Shakespeare's ("We few, we happy few, we band of brothers") spoken before the battle, now intrinsically linked to the memory of Agincourt.
- "The English longbow": The weapon that was a crucial factor in the English victory at Agincourt.
- St. Crispin's Day Speech: The name commonly given to King Henry's inspirational speech in Shakespeare's play, set on the day of the Battle of Agincourt (St. Crispin's Day).
-
a battle in northern France in which English longbowmen under Henry V decisively defeated a much larger French army in 1415
