War & Conflict

maid C2+

/meɪd/ An adult or adolescent female servant or cleaner (short for maidservant). (In feudal times this could be anyone from a high-ranking assistant to a low-ranking cleaner.) M S

cannon C2+

/ˈkæn.ən/ a large heavy gun for firing metal balls or shells M S

ransom C2+

/ˈɹæn.səm/ Money paid for the freeing of a hostage. M S

gin C2+

/d͡ʒɪn/ trap with a snare M S

dungeon C2+

/ˈdʌn.d͡ʒən/ An underground prison or vault, typically built underneath a castle. M S

staircase C2+

/ˈstɛɹˌkeɪs/ a way of access, upward and downward, consisting of a set of steps M S

bein C2+

/biːn/ Wealthy; well-to-do. M S

self-respect C2+

/ˌsɛlfrɪˈspɛkt/ The knowledge of one's own worth. M S

hammock C2+

/ˈhæmək/ A swinging couch or bed, usually made of netting or canvas about six feet (1.8 meters) wide, suspended by clews or cords at the ends. M S

craven C2+

/ˈkɹeɪ.vən/ Unwilling to fight; lacking even the rudiments of courage; extremely cowardly. M S

amiss C2+

/əˈmɪs/ in an improper or mistaken or unfortunate manner M S

idly C2+

/ˈaɪd(ə)lɪ/ in an idle manner M S

influx C2+

/ˈɪnˌflʌks/ A flow inward or into something; a coming in. M S

cower C2+

/ˈkaʊɚ/ To crouch or cringe, or to avoid or shy away from something, in fear. M S

north-east C2+

/ˌnɔrˈθiːst/ to, toward, or in the northeast M S

calico C2+

/ˈkæ.lɪ.koʊ/ having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly M S

pare C2+

/pɛɹ/ to decrease gradually or bit by bit M S

aide-de-camp C2+

/ˌeɪd.dəˈkæmp/ a military officer serving as a confidential assistant to a senior officer or head of state M S

pince-nez C2+

/pænsˈneɪ/ Templeless eyeglasses that clip to the bridge of the nose. M S

sighter C2+

/ˈsaɪ.tɚ/ a preliminary or practice shot used to test aim, range, or conditions M S

jezail C2+

/dʒəˈzeɪl/ a long-barreled Afghan matchlock or flintlock musket, often fired from a forked rest M S

savage C2+

/ˈsævɪdʒ/ fierce, violent, or uncontrolled; (verb) to attack ferociously M S

peaceable C2+

/ˈpisəbəl/ inclined to avoid conflict; peaceful in disposition M S

enlist C2+

/ɪnˈlɪst/ to enroll in the armed forces, or to secure someone's help M S

brawl C2+

/brɔl/ a rough, noisy fight or quarrel M S

foe C2+

/foʊ/ an enemy or adversary M S

quisling C2+

/ˈkwɪzlɪŋ/ a traitor who collaborates with an occupying enemy M S

stratagem C2+

/ˈstrætədʒəm/ a plan or scheme to deceive an enemy or gain an advantage M S

bellicose C2+

/ˈbɛlɪˌkoʊs/ inclined to fighting or war; aggressively hostile M S

combative C2+

/kəmˈbætɪv/ ready or eager to fight or argue M S

fortify C2+

/ˈfɔrtəˌfaɪ/ to strengthen against attack; to reinforce or invigorate M S

pacifist C2+

/ˈpæsɪfɪst/ a person who opposes war and violence on principle M S

affray C2+

/əˈfreɪ/ a noisy public fight or brawl disturbing the peace M S

apologetic C2+

/əˌpɑləˈdʒɛtɪk/ expressing or showing regret; offered in defence of something M S

apologia C2+

/ˌæpəˈloʊdʒiə/ a formal written defence of one's opinions or conduct M S

battleground C2+

/ˈbætəlˌɡraʊnd/ a place where a battle is or was fought; an arena of conflict M S

irruption C2+

/ɪˈrʌpʃən/ a sudden violent bursting in or invasion M S

nuke C2+

/nuk/ to attack with nuclear weapons; (informal) to heat in a microwave M S

projectile C2+

/prəˈdʒɛktl/ an object propelled through the air, especially as a weapon M S

vanquish C2+

/ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/ to defeat thoroughly in battle or competition M S

aggress C2+

/əˈɡrɛs/ to attack or behave aggressively toward another M S

agon C2+

/ˈæɡɑn/ a conflict or struggle, especially the central one in a drama M S

apologetics C2+

/əˌpɑləˈdʒɛtɪks/ the systematic defense of a doctrine, especially a religious one M S

armament C2+

/ˈɑrməmənt/ military weapons and equipment, or the process of arming for war M S

assail C2+

/əˈseɪl/ to attack violently, or to beset with criticism or troubling thoughts M S

bandit C2+

/ˈbændɪt/ a robber or outlaw, typically one of an armed band M S

belligerency C2+

/bəˈlɪdʒərənsi/ the state of being at war or engaged in hostile conflict M S

bombardment C2+

/bɑmˈbɑrdmənt/ a continuous attack with bombs, shells, or other projectiles M S

defenseless C2+

/dɪˈfɛnsləs/ lacking any means of protection or defense M S

dovish C2+

/ˈdʌvɪʃ/ favoring peace or conciliatory policies over confrontation M S

embroil C2+

/ɪmˈbrɔɪl/ to involve someone deeply in conflict or difficulty M S

foeman C2+

/ˈfoʊmən/ an enemy in war; an opponent in combat M S

grapple C2+

/ˈɡræpəl/ to struggle or wrestle in close combat; to grip firmly M S

gunstock C2+

/ˈɡʌnˌstɑk/ the wooden support to which a gun's barrel and mechanism are fixed M S

irenic C2+

/aɪˈrɛnɪk/ aiming at or promoting peace and conciliation M S

irenical C2+

/aɪˈrɛnɪkəl/ tending toward peace or reconciliation; conciliatory M S

pacification C2+

/ˌpæsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ the act of bringing peace or suppressing hostility M S

pacifism C2+

/ˈpæsɪfɪzəm/ the belief that disputes should be settled without violence or war M S

pacifistic C2+

/ˌpæsɪˈfɪstɪk/ opposed to violence or war as a means of settling disputes M S

quisle C2+

/ˈkwɪzəl/ to act as a traitor or collaborator with an enemy M S

raider C2+

/ˈreɪdɚ/ one who makes a sudden attack to seize, plunder, or disrupt M S

shiv C2+

/ʃɪv/ a homemade or improvised knife, especially one used as a weapon M S

torpedo C2+

/tɔrˈpiːdoʊ/ a self-propelled underwater missile; to attack or wreck something M S

quick-firer C2+

/ˈkwɪkˌfaɪr.ɚ/ historical: a gun designed to fire rounds in rapid succession, especially a late-nineteenth- or early-twentieth-century naval or field gun M S

axite C2+

/ˈækˌsaɪt/ historical: a proprietary smokeless powder used as a propellant in rifle cartridges M S

twelve-pounder C2+

/ˌtwɛlvˈpaʊndər/ a cannon classified as firing a projectile weighing twelve pounds M S

war whoop C2+

/ˈwɔrˌwuːp/ historical: a loud cry used as a signal or expression of aggression when entering battle M S