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Glite Dictionary
fire control

fire control

4 6.8
To prepare and direct large guns to hit a target in battle
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : control de fuego
  • To enhance combat effectiveness, the commanders emphasized the importance of maintaining robust fire control systems at all times.
  • fire control radar
  • fire control system
  • fire control officer

Examples

  • There is no evidence of battalion or even battery fire control on the 28th, 29th, and 30th; howitzer section chiefs picked out targets and fired at them individually.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The ship's fire control and fire prevention plans, as well as the location of firefighting devices,

    Blog text (10)

  • Luke, we've got a malfunction in fire control.

    The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

  • For areas adjacent to and within the WUI, managers will focus largely on fire control and aggressive restoration of surface fire regimes to protect human lives and property.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Reining in fire control does not eliminate the need for fire management; rather, it changes the task from protecting against fires you don't want to promoting those you do.

    Academic text (2008)

  • During the training exercise, the unit demonstrated effective fire control by accurately directing artillery to the target.

  • The military's fire control procedures ensured that the artillery strikes were precise and timely during the operation.

Synonyms

fire control system
vsfire control
  • Specialized
1 6.1

A system that finds and aims weapons at military targets on ships or tanks

is the process of preparing and directing artillery or gun discharge onto a target

Surface Forms

fire control singular
fire controls plural

Morphology

fire + control

The meaning is directly compositional: 'fire' (the firing of guns) + 'control' (ability to direct) yields 'control of firing' or directing gunfire. Although the phrase is technical/military, its sense follows standard noun‑noun composition and similar constructions exist in other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Fire control comes from the simple idea of controlling fire, meaning the shooting of guns, and using control to aim and time the shots. In old battles gunners measured distance and set their guns so the shots would hit the right place, so today fire control means the 'process' or 'system' that prepares and directs weapons onto a 'target'.