covering fire
3
7.7
- noun
- /ˈkʌvərɪŋ faɪər/
- Specialized
:
fuego de cobertura
- The soldiers advanced under covering fire to avoid enemy attacks.
- provide covering fire
- give covering fire
- ready to give covering fire
Examples
-
Without covering fire, you're a clay pigeon.
-
She was providing covering fire, running toward them.
Fiction book (2002) -
We need some serious covering fire, over.
-
We could sure use some covering fire.
-
Give those men covering fire!
-
I'll lay down some covering fire for you.
-
Lay down covering fire, Sergeant!
-
Machine gunners, stand by to give us covering fire!
-
Your comrade should be able to offer covering fire, even if he can no longer move.
Fiction book (1990) -
Give me some covering fire for Durnford on the right flank.
Synonyms
1
7.8
Continuous gunfire aimed at an enemy to stop them firing or moving so friendly troops can advance
1
7.0
Gunfire by other soldiers or tanks that protects attacking soldiers from the enemy
Gunfire aimed near friendly troops to protect them from immediate enemy threats
Fire from guns or artillery that helps one group of soldiers during combat
How Intense
- NSFW
1
8.2
- Specialized
14
7.6
- Specialized
1
7.8
- Specialized
3
7.7
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'covering' (from 'cover' = to protect/shield) modifies 'fire' (gunfire), so the combined meaning is protective or suppressive gunfire. This is a predictable, cross-linguistically common construction, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Covering fire comes from a simple battlefield picture: covering means protecting and fire means a lot of shooting, so soldiers shoot to keep the enemy's heads down. So, covering fire means intense shooting that 'protects' troops while they move or fall back.