screen-fire
Definition
Noun:
- Military term: "screen-fire" refers to a type of suppressive or covering fire used to protect advancing or retreating troops by creating a barrier of gunfire that obscures or deters enemy action.
Usage Examples
- (Suppressive fire protecting retreat.)
- (Covering fire to conceal movement.)
Advanced Usage
- "to provide screen-fire": to deliver covering fire as a tactical measure.
- The machine gunners were ordered to provide screen-fire while the engineers cleared the minefield. (To offer protective fire support.)
Variants and Related Words
- Screening fire (n): a synonym for screen-fire, often used interchangeably in military contexts.
- The commander called for screening fire to mask the battalion's relocation. (Suppressive fire for concealment.)
Synonyms
- Covering fire: fire directed at the enemy to protect friendly forces.
- Suppressive fire: fire intended to inhibit enemy activity.
- Barrage: a concentrated artillery bombardment.
Related Idioms
- "To fire a screen": (military slang) to execute a screen-fire operation.
- The squad was trained to fire a screen during night operations. (To conduct suppressive fire.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Screen-fire is not commonly used as a phrasal verb; it is primarily a noun compound. However, the verb "to screen" (meaning to protect or conceal) can be used:
- The smoke can screen the troops from enemy view. (To conceal or protect.)
Note: The term "screen-fire" is highly specialized and appears almost exclusively in military tactical manuals or historical accounts. It is not used in everyday English.