reconnoitering
- noun
- /ˌrɛkəˈnɔɪtərɪŋ/
- Specialized
- Before the attack, the commander sent teams for reconnoitering to assess the landscape and potential threats.
Examples
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Reassured about my father's whereabouts, I decided to do some reconnoitering, unconsciously imitating his actions that day, as well as his determination not to give way to panic.
Academic text (1998) -
Sentries and patrols move in boats, reconnoitering parties travel in boats, fire on the enemy in boats and escape in boats.
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This ship log records the details of the fighting engagements that the ship took part in, reconnoitering, stores and provisions taken on board, weather and sea conditions, as well as the reading of the Articles of War to the ship's company.
Academic text (2009) -
Having three-and-a-half hours of reconnoitering time, we set off to view Washington in mid-July, with the temperature at 101 degrees and the humidity at 99 percent, prepared to OSAE.
Academic text (1998) -
The soldiers conducted reconnoitering missions to gather intelligence on enemy positions.
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The reconnoitering tasks were crucial to ensuring a successful operation during the military exercise.
Synonyms
A search to find information about an area or enemy before an attack
Exploring a place to find information, often to learn about the land or dangers
A military trip to find out where the enemy is and what they are doing
A quick look at a place to find information before a film shoot or military action
A short trip to look around an area and gather information
A short trip to check a place before an event
Watching enemy positions from the air using planes or drones
A set of photos from planes or satellites that show a place
A short first study that collects basic information before a larger study
How Thoroughly
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
reconnoitering = reconnoiter (transparent) = reconnoiter + ing
The noun/gerund is formed by straightforward addition of '-ing' to the verb 'reconnoiter', yielding the act of surveying.
Etymology
The word reconnoitering comes from a French verb made of re- and connaître, which means 'to know'. So, reconnoitering is going ahead to 'get to know' an area and collect information, especially before others arrive.