See Also: strafe(dictionary)
strafe(dictionary)

strafe (iou)



strafe verb & noun. colloq. (orig. Military). E20.
[from German Gott strafe England 'may God punish England', catch-phrase in Germany during the 1914-18 war.]
A. verb trans.
Punish; damage; attack fiercely; fig. reprimand severely. E20.
spec. Attack from low-flying aircraft with bombs, machine-gun fire, etc.; bombard, harass with gunfire. E20.
J. G. Ballard RAF fighters strafed an ammunition train.
b. noun. An act of strafing; an instance of being strafed; fig. a severe reprimand. E20.
Guardian The subject of the strafe was the standard of food.
strafer noun E20.
strafing noun the action or an act of strafing; an instance of this; fig. a severe reprimand: E20.