franc-tireur
Americannoun
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francs-tireurs
plural
noun
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a sniper
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a guerrilla or irregular soldier
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of franc-tireur
First recorded in 1800–10
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A stowaway foretopman on the ship of state; a franc-tireur for the West and Christendom; a Burke, a Roland, a Quixote, with a whiff of Falstaff and a swing of the snickersnee.
From Time Magazine Archive
It is not an irresponsible franc-tireur of the Black Army, nor an expelled soldier like Mr. Voysey, nor a resigned soldier like Dr. Momerie.
From Flowers of Freethought (First Series) by G. W. (George William) Foote
One of the many nefarious franc-tireur proceedings of the British merchant marine against our war vessels has thus found a belated but merited expiation.
From History of the World War An Authentic Narrative of the World's Greatest War by Francis Andrew March
So you see probably the first shot fired in this war was fired at us by a franc-tireur.
From Paths of Glory Impressions of War Written at and Near the Front by Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb
And now Von Steyr had a weapon in his hands—not a carbine, but a long chassepot-rifle, a relic of the despoiled franc-tireur, dangling from the oak-tree.
From Lorraine A romance by Robert W. (Robert William) Chambers
The camp was already astir; Jean and Maurice took the francs-tireurs to Captain Beaudoin, who conducted them to the quarters of Colonel Vineuil.
From The Downfall by E. P. Robins
A study based upon the German accounts of francs-tireurs and "atrocities" in Belgium.
From Introduction to the Science of Sociology by Robert Ezra Park
She has a strong sense of order and discipline, and a hatred of "francs-tireurs."
From Stray Studies from England and Italy by John Richard Greene
One thing annoyed them considerable; this was a stir in the Vosges, and a talk of francs-tireurs, and of revolted villages about Epinal.
From The Pl?biscite or, A Miller's Story of the War by Alexandre Chatrian
That's French enough for you," said the young officer who was riding with us, turning in his seat to speak—"putting up a monument to glorify three francs-tireurs.
From Paths of Glory Impressions of War Written at and Near the Front by Irvin S. (Irvin Shrewsbury) Cobb
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
