Definition

Proper noun: * The Siege of Yorktown: A decisive military engagement in 1781 during the American Revolutionary War. British forces, commanded by General Lord Cornwallis, were besieged at Yorktown, Virginia, by a combined army of American Continental troops under General George Washington and French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau. The British surrender following this siege effectively ended major combat operations in the war.

Usage

• The term is used as a singular, proper noun to refer to the specific historical event.
• It is often discussed in the context of the culmination of the American Revolution, Franco-American alliance, and military strategy.

Examples

• As a subject:
  • The Siege of Yorktown was the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War.
• As an object:
  • The history class studied the tactics used during the Siege of Yorktown.
  • The French navy played a crucial role in the Siege of Yorktown by preventing British reinforcements.

Advanced Usage

• The event is sometimes referenced metaphorically to describe a situation where an entity is completely surrounded and forced into submission.
  • The scandal led to a political Siege of Yorktown, with the minister resigning after all support evaporated.

Variants and Related Words

• Yorktown: Often used shorthand to refer to the siege or the surrender itself (e.g., "the victory at Yorktown").
• Surrender at Yorktown: A common synonymous phrase emphasizing the outcome.
• Battle of Yorktown: A less precise but frequently used variant.

Synonyms

• Capitulation at Yorktown
• Yorktown Campaign (referring to the broader military operations leading to the siege)

Related Phrases

• The end of the American Revolution: Describes the primary consequence of the event.
• Cornwallis's surrender: Names the specific action of the British commander.

Noun

1. in 1781 the British under Cornwallis surrendered after a siege of three weeks by American and French troops; the surrender ended the American Revolution