crossfire means an arrangement of two or more weapons so each can fire diagonally at something in front of a line between them.
crossfire is pronounced /ˈkɹɒsfaɪə/.
Why “crossfire” is a great word
A dangerous situation created when gunfire is exchanged between two or more parties, especially when it endangers an uninvolved third party caught between them. From cross- (denoting intersection or reciprocal action) + fire (the discharge of a weapon), first attested in military writing in 1763. Unlike a "firefight" (which describes an armed clash) or a "barrage" (which implies a concentrated, one-sided deluge of fire), crossfire specifically denotes the lethal geometry of intersecting trajectories, creating a zone of lethal probability for anyone within its bounds. It is the crackle of unseen rifles across a city square, the sudden whistle of rounds stitching the air above a crouched child, and the acrid scent of burnt powder hanging in the stillness between shots—a stark testament to the cruel mathematics of conflict, where survival depends not on courage, but on position.
Etymology
From cross- + fire.
noun
- An arrangement of two or more weapons so each can fire diagonally at something in front of a line between them.
- The danger to a third party passing between two belligerents firing at one another.e.g.“The two factions were either side of the road. A civilian lorry was caught in the crossfire and became collateral damage”
- The danger to a third party passing between a gunman and his target.e.g.“A woman who was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting in north London on Tuesday evening was not the intended target, police have said.” — 2024 May 15, Geneva Abdul, “Woman hit in London drive-by shooting was not intended target, police say”, in The Guardian:
- A heated confrontation between opposing factions.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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