black operation
1
8.4
- noun
- /blæk ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃən/
- Jargon
- Many black operations are carried out by special military units to achieve objectives without direct accountability.
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Watch on YouTubeThat was the first black operation program after Vietnam that was successful.
- That was the first black operation program after Vietnam that was successful.
Examples
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They were working for the CIA—pilots, black operations guys, civilians, military—everybody in those days was running guns somewhere...
Fiction book (1991) -
Before that, they did some black operations in Europe.
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In fact, from now on, it's a black operation.
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That was the first black operation program after Vietnam that was successful.
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Besides, don't forget that outside an accredited diplomat, we're talking about a black operation.
Fiction book (1994) -
The government decided to initiate a black operation to gather intelligence without revealing its identity.
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After years of secrecy, the details of the black operation were finally disclosed to the public.
Synonyms
23
5.7
A secret action by a government or army to avoid being noticed
17
5.5
A private job done secretly to gather information
10
5.0
Secret work by police or agents who hide their identity to gather evidence
3
5.8
A secret operation by soldiers or spies to gather information and carry out dangerous tasks
3
7.7
A secret activity planned and done to stay hidden, often by spies or soldiers
How Secret
- Jargon
1
8.4
- Formal
3
7.7
23
5.7
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
While 'operation' clearly denotes a planned military or police action, the adjective 'black' here uses a metaphorical extension meaning 'covert/deniable' rather than the literal color, so the combined meaning is only partially predictable. Some cross-linguistic collocations (e.g. 'black market', 'black ops') support inferring secrecy, but a B1 learner who knows only the basic color sense of 'black' may not reliably derive the full covert/deniable sense without prior exposure.
Etymology
Black operation comes from the idea of a black or hidden operation. Because the mission is done so no one can see who did it, the phrase means 'a secret mission that cannot be traced'.