countermine
/,kauntəmain/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A defensive tunnel or mine: In military contexts, a tunnel dug by defenders to intercept and destroy an enemy's tunnel or mine before it reaches its target.
- A counterplot or countermeasure: A plan or action designed to thwart an opponent's scheme or strategy.
Verb:
- To destroy enemy mines with one's own mines: To use explosives or defensive mining to neutralize an enemy's underground explosive devices.
- To sabotage or hinder operations: To deliberately destroy or obstruct the normal functioning of something, often as an act of resistance or warfare.
Examples of Usage
Noun:
- The engineers dug a countermine to intercept the enemy's tunnel before it could reach the fortress wall.
- His clever countermine exposed the spy's plot before any damage was done.
Verb:
- To protect the harbor, the navy worked to countermine the enemy's underwater explosives.
- The partisans attempted to countermine the enemy's logistical efforts by blowing up the railway bridge.
Advanced Usage
"To lay a countermine": To prepare a defensive mine or a strategic countermeasure.
- The general ordered his troops to lay a countermine against the anticipated attack.
"A psychological countermine": A metaphorical plan to undermine an opponent's psychological strategy. The diplomat's speech was a brilliant psychological countermine to the propaganda campaign.
Variants and Related Words
Countermining (n/gerund): The act or process of laying countermines or engaging in counter-sabotage.
- The countermining operations successfully protected the city's perimeter.
Countermeasure (n): An action taken to offset another action. (This is a broader, more general synonym).
- The new software update is a countermeasure against the latest viruses.
Synonyms
- Noun: Counterplot, countermeasure, defensive mine.
- Verb: Sabotage, undermine, thwart, neutralize.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)
(Note: "Countermine" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are typically expressed directly.)
Related Idioms
(Note: There are no common idioms specifically using the word "countermine." Its usage is primarily technical or strategic.)
Noun
- (military) a tunnel dug to defeat similar activities by the enemy
Verb
- destroy enemy mines with one's own mines
- We countermined the banks of the river
- destroy property or hinder normal operations
- The Resistance sabotaged railroad operations during the war