Dictionary

mitraillade en · NOUN

Etymology

Borrowed from French mitraillade.

Meanings

1. (historical, rare) Mass execution by cannon shot or (later) machine-gun, especially during the French Revolution.
   • when Collot d'Herbois and Fouché replaced him, a veritable frenzy of repression occurred, with opponents being gunned down into open graves in the so-called mitraillades. 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 487:
   • The fusillades and mitraillades were conducted with the most savage coolness. 1817, John James M’Gregor, History of the French Revolution, volume III:

Forms

Relateds

mitrailleur · mitraille · mitrailleuse