plunging fire

American  

noun

Military.

1. artillery or other fire that strikes the ground at a steep angle, as from high ground overlooking the target or from a weapon fired at a high angle of elevation.

---

Etymology

Origin of plunging fire

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

This meant it had less armour than a battleship, particularly horizontal armour against plunging fire - shells coming down from on high at a long range.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2018

There he saw the British army in position waiting for him, crowning the heights above the estuary, and ready to overwhelm his landing-parties with a plunging fire of missiles.

From Early Britain—Roman Britain by Conybeare, Edward

The fire from f will be grazing, which will be a great advantage as compared with the plunging fire that would be obtained from a position up the hill.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6 "Foraminifera" to "Fox, Edward" by Various

The northern side of this wedge was lined with heights from which the British artillery was pouring a devastating plunging fire.

From World's War Events Volume 3 Beginning with the departure of the first American destroyers for service abroad in April, 1917, and closing with the treaties of peace in 1919. by Churchill, Allen L. (Allen Leon)

It assists in protecting from enfilade, and affords a plunging fire.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir