coup de main

coup de main

C0694500 (ko͞o′ də măN′)n. pl. coups de main (ko͞o′) A sudden action undertaken to surprise an enemy.

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[French : coup, stroke, blow + de, of + main, hand.]

coup de main

(ku də mɛ̃) n, pl coups de main (ku də mɛ̃) (Military) chiefly military an attack that achieves complete surprise[literally: blow with the hand]

coup de main

(kud^ə ˈmɛ̃)

n., pl. coups de main (kud^ə ˈmɛ̃)
French. a surprise attack; a sudden development. [literally, blow from the hand]

coup de main

- A sudden and unexpected movement or attack.See also related terms for sudden.

coup de main

An offensive operation that capitalizes on surprise and simultaneous execution of supporting operations to achieve success in one swift stroke.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

coup de main - an attack without warning surprise attackattack, onrush, onset, onslaught - (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons); "the attack began at dawn"terrorist attack - a surprise attack involving the deliberate use of violence against civilians in the hope of attaining political or religious aimsambuscade, ambush, lying in wait, trap - the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprisepre-emptive strike - a surprise attack that is launched in order to prevent the enemy from doing it to you