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dragoon
[ druh-goon ]
/ drəˈgun /
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noun
(especially formerly) a European cavalryman of a heavily armed troop.
a member of a military unit formerly composed of such cavalrymen, as in the British army.
(formerly) a mounted infantryman armed with a short musket.
verb (used with object)
to set dragoons or soldiers upon; persecute by armed force; oppress.
to force by oppressive measures; coerce: The authorities dragooned the peasants into leaving their farms.
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Origin of dragoon
1615–25; <French dragon, special use of dragondragon, applied first to a pistol hammer (so named because of its shape), then to the firearm, then to the troops so armed
OTHER WORDS FROM dragoon
dra·goon·age, nounun·dra·gooned, adjectiveWords nearby dragoon
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dragoon in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for dragoon
dragoon
/ (drəˈɡuːn) /
noun
(originally) a mounted infantryman armed with a carbine
(sometimes capital) a domestic fancy pigeon
- a type of cavalryman
- (pl; cap when part of a name)the Royal Dragoons
verb (tr)
to coerce; forcehe was dragooned into admitting it
to persecute by military force
Derived forms of dragoon
dragoonage, nounWord Origin for dragoon
C17: from French dragon (special use of dragon), soldier armed with a carbine, perhaps suggesting that a carbine, like a dragon, breathed forth fire
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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