COUP DE MAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does coup de main mean? 

• COUP DE MAIN (noun)
  The noun COUP DE MAIN has 1 sense:

1. an attack without warning

  Familiarity information: COUP DE MAIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COUP DE MAIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An attack without warning

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

coup de main; surprise attack

Hypernyms ("coup de main" is a kind of...):

attack; onrush; onset; onslaught ((military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "coup de main"):

terrorist attack (a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aims)

ambuscade; ambush; lying in wait; trap (the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise)

pre-emptive strike (a surprise attack that is launched in order to prevent the enemy from doing it to you)