gun battle
Armed exchange of fire
A gun battle is an exchange of gunfire between opposing sides—police and suspects, soldiers and insurgents, rival gangs.
The term implies sustained shooting back and forth rather than a one-sided attack: Three officers were wounded in a gun battle with bank robbers.
News reports favor the term for its dramatic connotation.
- firefightExchange of gunfire
- shootoutArmed confrontation or tiebreaker
- crossfireGunfire from several angles
- bulletsFirearm projectiles
- return fireShoot at attackers
caught in crossfire · combat · exchange · warfare · war zone · skirmish · ambush · rapid fire · muzzle · rounds · shots · cover · casualties · siege · standoff · under siege · reload · barrage
- combatfight, combat, unarmed combat, grappling, close combat
- Shootoutspenalty shootout, gunfight, firefight, duel, showdown
- violenceviolence, physical attack, brutality, physical violence, aggression
gun battlefistfight
Hand-to-hand combat
hand-to-hand combat · unarmed combat · fisticuffs · melee · sword fight
gun battlepeace
Freedom from disturbance
truce · ceasefire · armistice · peaceful resolution · negotiation
gun, battle, guns, gunned, gunning, gunner, gunners, gunnery, gunman