friendly fire en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˌfɹɛn(d).li ˈfaɪ.ɚ/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
- /ˌfɹɛn(d).li ˈfaɪ.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Meanings
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(uncountable) Weapons fire coming unintentionally from allied or friendly forces rather than from enemy forces, usually that which causes damage or casualties.
The slaughter of one's own troops by being fired into by their friends in rear. We are very much concerned over the question of avoiding loss from the enemy's bullets while passing through the danger zone, but what have we done to avoid our bravest fellows, the survival of the fittest, those who have gotten to the front and have held on to hard-won positions—what have we done to avoid their being shot to pieces by friendly fire? Absolutely nothing that we have ever heard of—and yet this is one of the most serious problems that confronts the leader of troops. Courage before the enemy will quail before a fire from the rear.
1910 May–June, P. E. T., “[Reviews and Exchanges.] The Franco-German War.”, in T[heophilus] F[rancis] Rodenbough, editor, Journal of the Military Service Institution of the United States, volume XLVI, number CLXV, New York, N.Y.: Military Service Institution, →OCLC, page 552:It is clear that the firing of very heavy guns, or the enemy's fire in return, would very seriously interfere with an abbatis, or anything of that kind, and it will be only something of the lightest character, or something that is placed at a considerable distance from the friendly fire, the fire of the gun itself, that would remain.
1867 June 3, A[lexander] Moncrieff, quoting Jasper Selwyn, “[Evening Meeting.] Further Particulars Regarding [Colin Scott-]Moncrieff's Protected Barbette System.”, in Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall Yard, volume XI, number XLIV, London: […] W[illiam] Mitchell and Co., […], published 1868, →OCLC, page 256:Labour is set to publish its own ideas 'shortly', which could mean anything from days to weeks. Meanwhile, the Conservatives' proposals have faced some 'friendly fire' from their own side.
2024 May 1, Christian Wolmar, “A long-term approach – delivered by the public sector”, in Rail, number 1008, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 50:
Relateds
friendly · collateral damage · amicicide · fratricide
Synonyms
Translations (52)
uk дру́жній вого́нь (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · nl eigen vuur (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ja 同士討ち (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ja 友軍相撃 (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · el φίλια πυρά (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · it fuoco amico (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ar نِيرَان صَدِيقَة (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · hu baráti tűz (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ca foc aliat (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · fr feu ami (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · cs přátelský oheň (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ja フレンドリー・ファイア (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · de Eigenbeschuss (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · tr dost ateşi (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · sv vådabekämpning (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · cmn 誤擊 /误击 (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · eo amika pafo (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · sv vådabeskjutning (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · eu su adiskidetsua (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · pl przyjacielski ogień (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · fa-ira آتَشِ خودی (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · cmn 友軍炮火 /友军炮火 (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · cy saethu cyfeillgar (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · da egenbeskydning (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · fr tir ami (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · pt fogo amigo (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ru дру́жественный ого́нь (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · vi quân ta bắn quân mình (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · fi oma tuli (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · sk priateľský oheň (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ru ого́нь по свои́м (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · es fuego amigo (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · de irrtümlicher Beschuss der eigenen Streitkräfte (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · be сябро́ўскі аго́нь (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · de Beschuss durch die eigene Seite (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ka მეგობრული ცეცხლის გახსნა (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ro foc prietenesc (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ka მეგობრული ცეცხლი (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · fr tir fratricide (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · bcl kakamping pag'atake (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · bg прия́телски о́гън (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ko 아군 사격 (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · cs přátelská palba (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · vi quân ta đánh thắng quân mình (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · id salah serang (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · he אש כוחותינו \ אֵשׁ כֹּחוֹתיניָ (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · de Nutzfeuer (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · az dost atəşi (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · ca foc amic (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · de Friendly Fire (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · io tembakan bersahabat (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces) · de eigenes Feuer (accidental fire from allied or friendly forces)
wikipedia: Stonewall Jackson · wikipedia: Confederate States of America