Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🔫 Gunfire along line 🔫 To fire along
to enfilade

to enfilade

1 9.9
To shoot along a line of soldiers or a trench to hit many of them
  • verb
  • /ˌɛn.fɪˈleɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : enfilada
  • Francis A. Shoup, the Army of Tennessee's chief of artillery, pointed out to Johnston an area of Polk's front that could be vulnerable to enfilading fire from a Union artillery position about one mile off.

Examples

  • Three gigantic tiers, each supporting its terrace, ascend to parapets, enfiladed on three sides by mountains.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Their position allowed them to enfilade the entire front of any attackers who were moving against the front of Moore's brigade and much of the front of all of Ruger's Division.

    Blog text (27)

  • "Villa, you and Gnat enfilade that guy that's shooting at us." "'Firmative... be just a minute." Sinklar studied another monitor where an entire section had broken through to create the eastern salient and now fought a running battle through the hedgerows of the garden.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The soldiers were ordered to enfilade the enemy's position from the hilltop.

  • During the battle, the commander decided to enfilade the advancing troops along the valley.

  • The strategic plan was to enfilade the front lines of the enemy, ensuring maximum impact.

Synonyms

to fusillade
vsto enfilade
  • Literature
9.9

To fire a quick series of shots at someone or something

directs fire along the target's length emphasizing direction not rate

Idioms

in an enfilade
  • Specialized
9.9

Placed in a straight line so people can see or shoot along the length

Compounds

enfilade fire
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Gunfire that goes along the length of a line of soldiers, causing heavy damage

enfilade of rooms
  • Specialized
9.9

A line of rooms with doorways in a straight line so you can see through

Surface Forms

enfilade infinitive
enfiladed past
enfiladed past participle
enfilading present participle
enfilades third person singular

Etymology

Enfilade comes from French parts en- 'in' and fil 'line' (think of the English word file for a line of people). So to enfilade someone is to fire 'in' along that 'line', which explains why the verb means shooting down the length of a line of troops or a trench.