defensive fire
Protective gunfire barrage
Defensive fire is gunfire directed at attackers to protect a position, unit, or perimeter rather than to advance or seize territory.
The term appears in military contexts where troops establish fields of fire to repel assault: The platoon laid down defensive fire while the convoy evacuated.
It contrasts with offensive fire, which supports an attack.
- suppressiveTending to restrain
- barrageSustained, overwhelming attack
- bunkerReinforced subterranean stronghold
- foxholeMilitary defensive excavation
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
flanking · artillery · volley · danger close · repel · hold the line · holdout · fortification · entrenchment · crossfire · kill zone · ambush · sandbags · retreat · ammunition · tracers · incoming · position
defensive fireoffensive operations
Attacks to gain ground
attack · assault · preemptive strike · first strike · advance
defensive, defensively, defense, defenses, defend, defender, defenders, defended, defending