Talking about War: English Vocabulary List

an explosive that is very powerful

"They used dynamite to break rocks."

"Dynamite is a powerful explosive made by soaking nitroglycerin into an absorbent material"

a long gun that can shoot multiple small bullets at one time, suitable for hunting animals such as birds

"The farmer kept a shotgun to protect his animals from wild foxes."

"A shotgun is a long-barreled firearm that fires a cartridge containing many small pellets"

a state of unfriendly relationship between two states which are not openly at war with each other

"The Cold War lasted many years."

"The Cold War was a prolonged period of geopolitical hostility without direct military conflict"

a portable weapon that uses controlled explosions to propel a projectile through a barrel

"He owns a licensed firearm."

"A firearm is a portable gun that uses an explosive charge to launch a projectile through a barrel at high velocity toward a target."

a military group consisting of civilians who have been trained as soldiers to help the army in emergencies

"The militia trained every weekend."

"A militia is a military force composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers"

a surprise attack or trap set by one party against another, typically while the targeted party is unaware or unprepared

"The soldiers walked into an ambush on the narrow mountain road."

"The rebels planned an ambush near the bridge to stop the enemy convoy from advancing."

to surround a place, typically with armed forces, in order to force those inside to give up or surrender

"The enemy besieged the castle for months."

"The enemy forces surrounded the castle and began to besiege it hoping that the people inside would eventually run out of food and surrender."

a surprise attack against a place or a group of people

"The police raid arrested several suspects."

"The police conducted a surprise raid on the building and arrested several people for drug dealing."

to enter a territory using armed forces in order to occupy or take control of it

"The army invaded the neighboring country."

"The dictator made the terrible decision to invade the neighboring country in order to gain access to its rich oil fields and ports."

the act of going around a place at regular intervals to prevent a crime or wrongdoing from being committed

"The security guard does a patrol of the building every two hours."

"A patrol is a group of soldiers or officers sent out to monitor a specific area"

to deprive someone or something of weapons or the ability to cause harm

"The negotiator convinced them to disarm."

"The international community pressured the hostile nation to disarm its nuclear weapons and allow United Nations inspectors to verify the process completely."

an act that violates an agreement, law, etc.

"The company committed a breach."

"A data breach is a security incident where confidential information is accessed or stolen without the authorization of the system's rightful owner."

to free someone or something from oppression or captivity

"Allied forces liberated the occupied city."

"The allied forces fought bravely for months to liberate the occupied territories from the control of the oppressive regime and restore freedom to the people."

to participate in and carry out a specific action, such as a war or campaign

"The country waged war against its neighbor."

"The nation decided to wage a war against its aggressive neighbors."

to seriously injure or kill a person by shooting them, particularly someone who is defenseless

"The gunman gunned down innocent civilians."

"The security camera clearly showed the masked attacker gun down the unarmed security guard before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle."

an attack made in response to someone else's attack

"The army launched a counterattack."

"A counterattack is a tactical offensive maneuver made by a defending force to repel an enemy's assault and regain lost territory quickly."

foot soldiers who fight on the ground with small arms

"The infantry advanced slowly across the open field under heavy enemy fire."

"The infantry marched through the dense forest while scouts watched for any danger ahead."

a temporary peace during a battle or war when discussions regarding permanent peace is taking place

"The two sides agreed to a ceasefire after months of bloody fighting."

"Humanitarian aid finally reached the city after both armies respected the ceasefire agreement."

a defensive structure or system constructed to protect an area or position from enemy attacks, typically including walls, towers, and other defensive elements

"The castle had a fortification."

"The medieval city was surrounded by a formidable fortification designed to repel invaders."

nnecessary spilling of blood, typically resulting from battles, conflicts, or acts of aggression

"The battle caused bloodshed."

"The prolonged conflict unfortunately resulted in significant bloodshed and widespread destruction."

o remove or reduce military forces, weapons, or military capabilities from a region, area, or entity, typically as part of a peace agreement, disarmament treaty, or unilateral decision to promote peace

"The treaty required them to demilitarize the border."

"The peace treaty required both countries to demilitarize the border zone completely and remove all weapons and troops from the area."

a small bomb that explodes in a few seconds, can be thrown by hand or fired from a gun

"The soldier threw a grenade at the enemy."

"The soldier threw a grenade at the enemy position and then quickly took cover behind the wall."