raid

[reyd]

noun

1. a sudden assault or attack, as upon something to be seized or suppressed.

   a police raid on a gambling ring.

   Synonyms: seizure

2. Military.,  a sudden attack on the enemy, as by air or by a small land force.

   Synonyms: inroad, invasion, incursion

3. a vigorous, large-scale effort to lure away a competitor's employees, members, etc.

4. Finance.,  a concerted attempt of speculators to force stock prices down.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a raid on.

2. to steal from; loot.

   a worry that the investment fund is being raided.

3. to entice away from another.

   Large companies are raiding key personnel from smaller companies.

4. to indulge oneself by taking from, especially in order to eat.

   raiding the cookie jar.

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in a raid.

raid

/ reɪd /

noun

1. a sudden surprise attack

   an air raid

2. a surprise visit by police searching for criminals or illicit goods

   a fraud-squad raid

3. See also bear raid dawn raid

verb

1. to make a raid against (a person, thing, etc)

2. to sneak into (a place) in order to take something, steal, etc

   raiding the larder

Other Word Forms

• raider noun
• counterraid noun
• unraided adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of raid¹

1375–1425; Middle English (north and Scots ) ra ( i ) de, Old English rād expedition, literally, a riding; doublet of road

Word History and Origins

Origin of raid¹

C15: Scottish dialect, from Old English rād military expedition; see _road

Example Sentences

The force said the building had been "significantly" damaged in the raid, adding that officers believed the JCB had been stolen nearby.

Read more on BBC

Federal authorities are now pursuing a misdemeanor charge against David Huerta, president of Service Employees International Union California, who was arrested during the first day of a series of immigration raids that swept the region.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But it is thought officers in Scotland were not made aware of the Dubai raids in advance.

Read more on BBC

Miners mobilised and killed the bandit leader, prompting reprisals from his comrades who raided the mining site, "shooting and killing seven miners", according to the report.

Read more on Barron's

It was not immediately clear why prosecutors conducted the raids and the ruling party did not immediately comment.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• assault 
• blockade 
• bomb 
• bombard 
• harass 
• invade 
• loot 
• overrun 
• plunder 
• ransack 
• rob 
• storm 
• strafe 
• swoop