crossfire

or cross fire

[ kraws-fahyer, kros‐ ]

/ ˈkrɔsˌfaɪər, ˈkrɒs‐ /

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See synonyms for crossfire on Thesaurus.com

noun

lines of gunfire from two or more positions or combatants crossing one another, or a single one of such lines.

a brisk exchange of words or opinions.

a situation involving conflicting claims, forces, etc.

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Origin of crossfire

First recorded in 1855–60

Words nearby crossfire

cross-fade, cross-fertile, cross-fertilization, cross-fertilize, cross-file, crossfire, cross flap, crossfoot, cross fox, cross-garnet, cross-gartered

How to use crossfire in a sentence

Facebook have proven again and again that they cannot be trusted to self-regulate when doing so would either harm their business model or put them in the crossfire of the regimes in any given country.
Believe Me, Mark Zuckerberg Isn’t Going to Police Himself|Yaël Eisenstat|May 6, 2021|The Daily Beast
Rotten Tomatoes has been caught in the crossfire of troll campaigns before.
An alleged Saudi troll campaign is targeting a movie about the murder of Jamal Khashoggi|Steven Zeitchik|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
Social media platforms have become an ideological battleground, and in light of recent events, some brands are looking to keep themselves out of the crossfire by halting their social ad campaigns.
Halting campaigns shouldn’t be your only brand safety precaution|George Nguyen|January 8, 2021|Search Engine Land
But no more so than the Sodexo building maintenance man or the two cops who were also killed in the crossfire.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST

A street sweeper was caught in the crossfire as a gunman fired at the officer, fatally wounding her in the back.
France Mourns—and Hunts|Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
These things also happen to people who you know are helpless, like random people caught in the crossfire.
Bergdahl’s Bitter Homecoming: The Psychological Cost of War|Jean Kim|July 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many more lives, often of civilians stuck in the crossfire, will be lost.
Why Putin Let MH17 Get Shot Down|James Miller|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Everyone from right-leaning CNN Crossfire host S.E. Cupp, to E!
The View’s Bloody Backstage Politics: How Barbara Walters and Bill Geddie Lost Control of Their Show|Lloyd Grove|July 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I was on the side of the street next to the Brownsboro road, and hence thrown into all of the crossfire.
Autobiography of Frank G. Allen, Minister of the Gospel|Frank G. Allen
The questions of father and son were a crossfire, and it must be owned they had good reason for amazement.
The Companions of Jehu|Alexandre Dumas, pre
The mayor was without ammunition to return Gibson's crossfire of charges against the administration.
Spring Street|James H. Richardson
Both advanced support parties were met by high-explosive bombs and a heavy crossfire from enemy machine-guns.
Canada in Flanders, Volume II (of 3)|Lord Max Aitken Beaverbrook
The brigade next to the pike, exposed to a galling crossfire, wavered and slowly retired.
Personal Recollections of a Cavalryman|J. H. (James Harvey) Kidd

British Dictionary definitions for crossfire

crossfire

/ (ˈkrɒsˌfaɪə) /

noun

military converging fire from one or more positions

a lively exchange of ideas, opinions, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

crossfire

or cross fire

Origin of crossfire

Words nearby crossfire

Words related to crossfire

How to use crossfire in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crossfire