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✈️ A flight mission ⚔️ A sudden attack ⚔️ To attack suddenly
to sortie

to sortie

8.6
To leave a defensive position to make a sudden attack
  • verb
  • /ˈsɔrti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : salir
  • As the sun rose, the soldiers prepared to sortie out of the fortress and engage the opposing forces.

Examples

  • The commander decided to sortie from the fort before daybreak to surprise the enemy.

  • On Good Friday, they sortie for the last time, dressed in highly embellished costumes that reflect the religious and cultural heritages that have influenced Haitian Vodou.

    Academic text (1996)

  • After waiting for the perfect moment, the troops finally launched a sortie against the enemy camp.

Synonyms

to rush out
vsto sortie
9 3.3

To run out quickly from a hiding place to surprise someone

is more military and formal and refers to troops leaving defenses
to leap out
vsto sortie
3 3.1

To jump out suddenly from a hiding place to surprise someone

describes a planned armed move by troops from fortifications
to sally
vsto sortie
  • Specialized
1 6.4

To rush out suddenly from a safe place

focuses specifically on troops leaving fortifications for a sudden attack

Antonyms

retreat
93 4.4

A move back from a place to escape danger

Surface Forms

sortie infinitive
sortieing present participle
sorties third person singular
sortied past
sortied past participle

Etymology

Sortie comes from the French verb sortir, which means 'to go out' and is like exit. To sortie is to make a quick movement or attack out from a defensive place, keeping the idea of 'going out' to fight.