enfilade

/ˈɛnfəˌleɪd/
noun
  1. A line of fire from a weapon that sweeps along the length of a target, such as a line of soldiers or a trench.
    • The soldiers were caught in an enfilade and had to take cover.
    • The machine gun created a deadly enfilade across the open field.
    • The general ordered an enfilade to break the enemy's formation.
  2. A series of rooms or spaces arranged in a straight line, with doors aligned so that one can see through the entire sequence.
    • The museum's enfilade of galleries allowed visitors to see from one end to the other.
    • The architect designed an enfilade of interconnected offices.
    • The palace featured a grand enfilade of reception rooms.
verb
  1. To fire along the length of a target, such as a line of soldiers or a trench.
    • The snipers enfiladed the column of advancing troops.
    • The commander ordered his men to enfilade the ridge.
    • The artillery was positioned to enfilade the enemy trench.
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