Definition of coup de main in English:
coup de main
nounPlural coups de mainku də mɛ̃ˌkuː də ˈmãˌko͞o də ˈman
A sudden surprise attack, especially one made by an army during war.
the bridge was seized by a coup de main
Example sentencesExamples
- This cooperation, called coups de main (literally, ‘strokes of the hand’), was especially crucial in the era before worker's compensation, welfare, social security, and the like.
- The neocons' coup de main was foiled, or at least postponed.
- A small force of his glider troops knocked out the Belgian Eben Emael fortress in a spectacular coup de main in May 1940.
- The German invasion of Crete relied heavily on air power - an aerial bombardment to demoralize the defenders followed up by paratroopers who delivered the coup de main.
- On the other hand there was also a discernible inclination amongst some officers to be associated with a spectacular, war-winning coup de main operation.
- So he is working on expanding his repertoire of moves, trying to find a coup de main.
- The 4th AD pursued German forces into Lorraine, and crossed the Meuse River in a coup de main on 31 August 1944.
Origin
French, literally 'stroke of hand'.