An air raid is an attack by military aircraft in which bombs are dropped. This expression is usually used by the country or group that is suffering the attack.
...a series of daylight air raids on London by German bombers in 1917. [+ on]
...an underground air raid shelter.
air raid in British English
noun
a.
an attack by hostile aircraft
b.
(as modifier)
an air-raid shelter
air raid in American English
an attack by aircraft, esp. bombers, against a surface target, as a city
Examples of 'air raid' in a sentence
air raid
"They were dining in a restaurant immediately south of Leicester Square and so far the evening had been air raid free.
Townsend, Eileen IN LOVE AND WAR (1993)
`When there's no air raid, when the sun is shining, the Grunewald can almost persuade one there are other things than war.
Townsend, Eileen IN LOVE AND WAR (1993)
The poor fellow was slightly wounded in an air raid yesterday, and arrived here by train feeling rather the worse for wear.
Townsend, Eileen IN LOVE AND WAR (1993)
`'In the midst of an air raid ," Gary said, jumping into the conversation.
Ellis, Julie LASTING TREASURES (1993)
In other languages
air raid
British English: air raid NOUN
An air raid is an attack by military aircraft in which bombs are dropped.
The war began with overnight air raids.
American English: air raid
Brazilian Portuguese: ataque aéreo
Chinese: 空袭
European Spanish: ataque aéreo
French: raid aérien
German: Luftangriff
Italian: incursione aerea
Japanese: 空爆
Korean: 공습
European Portuguese: ataque aéreo
Latin American Spanish: ataque aéreo
All related terms of 'air raid'
air-raid siren
a device that sounds an alarm to warn people when an air raid is expected
air-raid shelter
a structure, often located underground , that is designed to protect people during an air raid
air-raid warden
a member of a civil defence organization responsible for enforcing regulations , etc, during an air attack
air-raid warning
an alarm that sounds to warn people when an air raid is expected
air-raid precautions
measures taken to protect the public from air-raid attacks