friendly fire

noun

1. Insurance. a fire deliberately set and remaining contained, as in a fireplace or boiler, from which any resulting loss cannot be claimed as an insurance liability ( hostile fire ).
2. (in military combat) fire, as by artillery, by one's own forces, especially when causing damage near or casualties to one's own troops.

friendly fire

noun

1. military firing by one's own side, esp when it harms one's own personnel

Example Sentences

Even more importantly, mobile phone footage of the late policeman getting caught by friendly fire also emerged.

From Quartz

There are too many opportunities for friendly fire, for civilian casualties, for insurgent ambushes.

From The Daily Beast

The Democratic state senator may also be facing friendly fire.

From The Daily Beast

Another fine life bled out beside a petroleum facility when he was killed by friendly fire.

From The Daily Beast

How would people in the audience have known that here was a bearer of friendly fire, not an accomplice in the massacre?

From The Daily Beast

Mitt Romney is a two-time loser this week, hobbled by Democratic attacks and friendly fire from his own side.

From The Daily Beast

For the toiling Pilgrim in the vast and pathless Desert of Facts there was no kindly face, no friendly fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Dinner at nine o'clock, before the big open hearth, with a friendly fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Their eyes would meet and Colfax's would gleam with a savage but friendly fire.

From Project Gutenberg

He sat and listened and looked into the warm deep heart of the friendly fire.

From Project Gutenberg

No hope remained save that he might be tossed up on the beach somewhere near the friendly fire that was burning as a beacon.

From Project Gutenberg