strafe

verb

ˈstrāf 

 especially British  ˈsträf

strafed; strafing

transitive verb

: to rake (ground troops, an airfield, etc.) with fire at close range and especially with machine-gun fire from low-flying aircraft

strafe noun

strafer noun

Examples of strafe in a Sentence

The planes strafed the town.

Recent Examples on the Web

Before the fighter escorts began accompanying the slow and heavy U.S. bombers, losses were catastrophic due to getting dive-bombed and strafed by German aircraft. —Tara Copp, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025

Having difficulty strafing away from enemy projectiles? —John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025

Key Priority prioritizes the actuation of the last pressed key when two opposing command or movement keys are struck at the same time, such as when pressing the left and right arrow keys simultaneously while strafing. —PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025

Sailors jumped from the battleship into burning oil below as machine gun fire strafed the ship and the rest of the fleet. —Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German Gott strafe England may God punish England, German propaganda slogan during World War I

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

strafe

verb

ˈstrāf 

strafed; strafing

: to fire on at close range and especially with machine guns from low-flying airplanes

strafed the village

strafer noun