coup de main

/ku də meɪn//ku də mæn/

noun

A sudden development or action carried out to surprise an enemy.

Similar
surprise attack
OriginFrench coup de main →
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Meanings

nouncoup de main (plural coups de main)

plural coups de main

  1. A sudden development or action carried out to surprise an enemy.
    1 more example

    That which of all things he most dreaded was that he should be out-generalled by Mr. Slope; and just at present it appeared probable that Mr. Slope would turn his flank, steal a march on him, cut off his provisions, carry his strong town by a coup de main, and at last beat him thoroughly in a regular pitched battle.

    1857, Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers, volume II, →ISBN, page 78

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan attack without warning

Similar
surprise attack
Broader
attackonslaughtonset

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchcoup de main
  2. Frenchcoup de main
  3. Englishcoup de main

Borrowed from French coup de main.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

coup de main. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coup%20de%20main

MLA

“coup de main.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coup%20de%20main. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “coup de main,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coup%20de%20main.

Source: coup de main on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.