Other

ambush

Pronunciation: /ˈambʊʃ/

Translate ambush | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of ambush

noun

a surprise attack by people lying in wait in a concealed position:seven members of a patrol were killed in an ambush [mass noun]:there might be terrorists waiting in ambush

verb

[with object]

make a surprise attack on (someone) from a concealed position:they were ambushed and taken prisoner by the enemy
confront (someone) suddenly and unexpectedly with unwelcome questions:Tory representatives were ambushed by camera crews

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'place troops in hiding in order to surprise an enemy'): from Old French embusche (noun), embuschier (verb), based on a late Latin word meaning 'to place in a wood'; related to bush¹

ambush in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of ambush in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

More results for ambush

More words in this category

Subscriber login

Library card login