sortie
a rapid movement of troops from a besieged place to attack the besiegers.
a body of troops involved in such a movement.
the flying of an airplane on a combat mission.
to go on a sortie; sally forth.
Origin of sortie
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use sortie in a sentence
Sorties by nuclear-capable bombers had been discontinued in 1992 as the Cold War came to an end, but Putin resumed them in 2007.
The Russian Air Force also flew additional sorties over the Baltic Sea with tactical strike fighters on Oct. 29.
Are Russian Bombers Flying Nuclear Drills Near Europe—Or Just Testing NATO’s Defenses? | Dave Majumdar | October 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe abrupt increase that night in U.S. sorties also stopped the town falling.
In the Battle for Kobani, ISIS Falls Back. But for How Long? | Jamie Dettmer | October 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTExperts and many Air Force officers expect that the Raptor will fly additional combat sorties in the coming days.
First U.S. Stealth Jet Attack on Syria Cost More Than Indian Mission to Mars | Dave Majumdar | September 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe first few iterations of air sorties would have a good chance of taking out numerous ISIS vehicles and personnel.
Airstrikes Against ISIS Are Tactics. Here's a Strategy | Daniel L. Davis | September 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The French had captured three thousand prisoners during the sorties round Genoa.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonAfter Castiglione he returned to his task round Mantua and gallantly repulsed all sorties.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonIn stealthy sorties one side or the other frequently captured the opposing pickets before alarm could be given.
The Civil War Through the Camera | Henry W. (Henry William) ElsonNot content with simply defending their walls, the Huguenots made sorties, in which many of Anjou's followers were slain.
History of the Rise of the Huguenots | Henry BairdNow and then bands of warriors made sorties, and tried to cut their way through the Spanish line.
The Spanish Pioneers | Charles F. Lummis
British Dictionary definitions for sortie
/ (ˈsɔːtɪ) /
(of troops, etc) the act of emerging from a contained or besieged position
the troops doing this
an operational flight made by one aircraft
a short or relatively short return trip
(intr) to make a sortie
Origin of sortie
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse