Crossword clues for ambuscade
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ambuscade \Am`bus*cade"\, n. [F. embuscade, fr. It. imboscata, or Sp. emboscada, fr. emboscar to ambush, fr. LL. imboscare. See Ambush, v. t.]
A lying in a wood, concealed, for the purpose of attacking an enemy by surprise. Hence: A lying in wait, and concealed in any situation, for a like purpose; a snare laid for an enemy; an ambush.
A place in which troops lie hid, to attack an enemy unexpectedly. [R.]
--Dryden.(Mil.) The body of troops lying in ambush.
Ambuscade \Am`bus*cade"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ambuscaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Ambuscading.]
To post or conceal in ambush; to ambush.
To lie in wait for, or to attack from a covert or lurking place; to waylay.
Ambuscade \Am`bus*cade"\, v. i. To lie in ambush.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1580s, essentially a variant form of ambush (n.), representing a reborrowing of that French word after it had been Italianized. Ambuscade is from French embuscade (16c.), Gallicized from Italian imboscata, literally "a hiding in the bush," compounded from the same elements as Old French embuscher. Sometimes in English as ambuscado, with faux Spanish ending of the sort popular in 17c.
Wiktionary
n. (context dated English) An ambush; a trap laid for an enemy. vb. (context dated English) To lie in wait for, or to attack from a covert or lurking place; to waylay.
WordNet
n. the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise [syn: ambush, lying in wait, trap]
v. wait in hiding to attack [syn: ambush, scupper, bushwhack, waylay, lurk, lie in wait]
Usage examples of "ambuscade".
Your course lay towards those rocks, and while gazing in that direction, I noticed some armed men moving stealthily about among them, and pointed them out to my brother and Sir Clement, who at once recognised them as rebel soldiers, and felt sure that an ambuscade had been placed there.
Lord Say acted on the advice, and fell into an ambuscade that cost him five-and-twenty men.
Powick, near a cherry orchard, in which, nine years previously, the ambuscade was successfully laid for Lord Say.
Upon another occasion Father Mendoza fell into an ambuscade, from which he might have escaped had not his horse sunk in a miry stream.
Here a party of passing Mamelucos fell into an ambuscade, and were hewn in pieces, presumably before the Lord.
I laid an ambuscade, with thirty men and three officers, near the road.
Watson marched down the river, Marion keeping just sufficiently ahead of him to be able to post an ambuscade for him at the first point that seemed suitable for such a purpose.
This he did, fearing lest they should be surprised and cut off by an ambuscade of Spaniards, that might chance to lie thereabouts in the neighbouring woods, which appeared so thick as to seem almost impenetrable.
Here they found another ambuscade, but as barren and desert as the former.
Here likewise they found traces of another ambuscade, but the place totally as unprovided as the two precedent were.
Captain Morgan was persuaded that in the wood the Spaniards had placed an ambuscade, as lying so conveniently for that purpose.
Venta Cruz they came upon an ambuscade of 1000 Indians, but put them to flight with the loss of only one killed and two wounded, the Indians losing their chief and about thirty men.
This was no less than to lay an ambuscade for the Inca and seize him in the face of his army, holding him as a hostage for the safety of the Christians.
The next day a still larger ambuscade was laid, which, fortunately for the freebooters, was discovered and dispersed in time, the fleeing Spaniards leaving their horses behind.
In the same county, the earl of Cromartie fell into an ambuscade, and was taken by the militia of Sutherland, who likewise defeated a body of the rebels at Goldspie.