Library / English Dictionary

AMBUSH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise

Synonyms:

ambuscade; ambush; lying in wait; trap

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("ambush" is a kind of...):

coup de main; surprise attack (an attack without warning)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "ambush"):

dry-gulching (the act of killing from ambush)

Derivation:

ambush (wait in hiding to attack)

ambush (hunt (quarry) by stalking and ambushing)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wait in hiding to attack

Synonyms:

ambuscade; ambush; bushwhack; lie in wait; lurk; scupper; waylay

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "ambush" is one way to...):

wait (stay in one place and anticipate or expect something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

ambush (the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise)

ambusher (an attacker who waits in a concealed position to launch a surprise attack)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Hunt (quarry) by stalking and ambushing

Synonyms:

ambush; still-hunt

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Hypernyms (to "ambush" is one way to...):

hunt; hunt down; run; track down (pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

ambush (the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise)

ambusher (an attacker who waits in a concealed position to launch a surprise attack)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Then it had occurred to him to work upon the superstitions of his former shipmates, and he was so far successful that Gray and the doctor had come up and were already ambushed before the arrival of the treasure-hunters.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

In the meantime the supervisor rode on, as fast as he could, to Kitt's Hole; but his men had to dismount and grope down the dingle, leading, and sometimes supporting, their horses, and in continual fear of ambushes; so it was no great matter for surprise that when they got down to the Hole the lugger was already under way, though still close in.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)