Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sudden, swift attack without warning; a surprise assault: "coup de main" refers specifically to a military operation characterized by speed, surprise, and the element of shock to achieve a rapid objective, often before the enemy can effectively respond.

Usage

• The term is used primarily in military, strategic, or historical contexts to describe a rapid, decisive action. It is a formal term borrowed from French, meaning literally "stroke of hand" or "handstroke," implying a swift, manual action.
• It describes an operation, not a prolonged campaign. The focus is on the suddenness and surprise of the initial action.

Examples

• The capture of the strategic bridge was a brilliant coup de main executed at dawn.
• Their plan relied on a coup de main to seize the airfield before reinforcements could arrive.
• The general advocated for a coup de main rather than a protracted siege.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically in non-military contexts to describe any swift, decisive, and surprising action that achieves a goal.
  • The company's takeover of the smaller firm was a financial coup de main that stunned the market.

Variants and Related Words

• Coup (n): A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government. Also used for any notable success.
• Coup de grâce (n): A final blow or shot given to kill a wounded person or thing; a decisive finishing event.
• Blitzkrieg (n): An intense military campaign intended to bring about a swift victory (German for "lightning war"), a related but broader concept.
• Surprise attack (n): A more general English phrase for an attack made without warning.

Synonyms

• Surprise attack
• Sudden assault
• Raid (though a raid can be expected)
• Swift strike

Antonyms

• Siege (a prolonged military operation)
• Protracted campaign
• War of attrition

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Lightning strike: An idiom describing a very fast and sudden action, often in a military or strategic context.
• Out of the blue: An idiom meaning suddenly and unexpectedly, which can describe the nature of a .

Noun

1. an attack without warning