terrain intelligence
- noun
- /tɛˈreɪn ɪnˈtɛlɪdʒəns/
- Jargon
- The military unit relied on terrain intelligence to plan their approach through the mountains.
Examples
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Without proper terrain intelligence, the army could not anticipate obstacles in the city.
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Accurate terrain intelligence was essential for the engineers building the new supply route.
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The army uses terrain intelligence effectively.
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Can you explain the importance of terrain intelligence?
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Accurate terrain intelligence was essential for the engineers building the new supply route.
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The military unit relied on terrain intelligence to plan their approach through the mountains.
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Without proper terrain intelligence, the army could not anticipate obstacles in the city.
How Detailed
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'tactical information about land features' is a straightforward composition of 'terrain' (land/physical features) and 'intelligence' (information for military/security use), so the overall sense is directly derivable from the parts. This noun+noun compound follows common compositional patterns found across languages, making it understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.
Etymology
Terrain intelligence comes from the picture of people studying the land—its hills, rivers, roads and buildings—to find the best route. By collecting intelligence about the terrain, they can plan moves and avoid problems, so the term means 'information about an area's features used to plan actions'.