levée en massen.

1813 F. Burney Let. 12 Oct. (1905) VI. 95 Were he not essentially necessary in some department of civil labour and use, he would surely be included in some levée en masse.

1832 Edinb. Rev. Apr. 254 A levèe [sic] en masse was decreed. The zeal of the Polish patriots was unbounded.

1895 T. A. Walker Man. Public Internat. Law 135 It is, in fact, clear law that a combatant to be lawful must be formally authorised by a recognised Government, or be a member of a levée en masse rising on the approach of an invader.

1940 Economist 22 June 1067/1 There has been an outcry..for an immediate levée en masse, for the calling up now of every able-bodied man not busy on war work.

1943 J. M. Thompson Fr. Revol. xxii. 424 A decree of February 24th, '93, ordered the levying of three hundred thousand men—..less than half the necessary number was procured. It became clear that the Convention must fall back on..a levée en masse, or wholesale compulsory enlistment. This plan..finally took shape in Carnot's decree, as it is generally called, of August 23rd.

1949 I. Deutscher Stalin v. 143 They were the ‘activists’..behind which there moved into battle a genuine political levée en masse.

1972 Times 29 Dec. 11/7 A levée en masse is one thing, assassination is quite another.