strafe

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane
  2. verb attack with machine guns or cannon fire from a low-flying plane

Etymology

Borrowed from German strafe (“punish”) (a conjugated form of strafen), from phrases like Gott strafe England (“God punish England”) which the British saw during the First World War.

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