Definition of rearguard action in US English:
rearguard action
nounˈˌrɪ(ə)rˈˌɡɑrd ˈˌækʃənˈˌri(ə)rˈˌɡärd ˈˌakSHən
A defensive action carried out by a retreating army.
the troops remaining in the islands fought a bitter rearguard action
figurative we're fighting a rearguard action against the newspapers here
Example sentencesExamples
- During the 1924 retreat from Chaouen to Tétouan in west Morocco, a disaster even greater than Anual, it fought a month-long rearguard action under Franco.
- These are probably people left over from the old regime who are simply fighting a rearguard action.
- With City happy to put men behind the ball and fight a valiant rearguard action, the onus was on Scunthorpe to find a way through.
- And all the time we seem to be fighting a rearguard action to stay in business and remain competitive with others who don't have to accept the same sort of system as we do.
- Over the next 20 years Broughton fought a rearguard action in defence of his church, while at the same time he worked creatively to establish a new basis for its financial support and governance.
- The EU and US have betrayed their promises to reform trade rules to promote development and poor countries have had to fight a rearguard action simply to keep some of their issues on the table.
- The announcement represented a victory for defence chiefs who fought a fierce rearguard action against any change of policy.
- After the Glorious Revolution he was made a Jacobite duke, fought at the Boyne, carried on the rearguard action, and died in Limerick just before it was forced to capitulate.
- That said it was all hands to the pump all the way for Newbridge, as they fought out a desperate rearguard action interrupted by sporadic breaks by Cleare and Carr and some excellent line kicking by Ahearne.
- By the first week in January 1945, the German onslaught had been stopped and the Wehrmacht was fighting a desperate rearguard action.