grazing fire
- noun
- Specialized
:
fuego rasante
- The machine gun was set up to deliver grazing fire along the ridge.
Examples
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The soldiers used grazing fire to suppress enemy movement.
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In military training, soldiers learn how to set up grazing fire for maximum effect.
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Proper positioning allows grazing fire to cover the entire open field.
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During the battle, grazing fire was essential for covering the advance.
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In military training, soldiers learn how to set up grazing fire for maximum effect.
-
Proper positioning allows grazing fire to cover the entire open field.
-
The machine gun was set up to deliver grazing fire along the ridge.
How High
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
8.2
- Specialized
1
7.7
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'grazing' (skimming or just touching) modifies 'fire' (shooting), so a learner who knows both words can infer gunfire that skims very close to the ground. Although a technical military term, it follows a straightforward modifier+noun pattern, making the sense derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
The noun grazing fire comes from the picture of bullets that almost 'graze' the ground, skimming just above it as a line of grazing fire moves along a field. So, 'grazing fire' means gunfire sent nearly level with the ground to sweep across and cover an open area.