reconnaissance in force

noun

an attack by a (usually small) body of troops in order to gauge the strength of enemy defences (and make local gains if possible)

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Meanings

nounreconnaissance in force (countable and uncountable, plural reconnaissances in force)

plural reconnaissances in force

  1. countableuncountablegovernmentan attack by a (usually small) body of troops in order to gauge the strength of enemy defences (and make local gains if possible)
Cite this entry
APA

reconnaissance in force. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reconnaissance%20in%20force

MLA

“reconnaissance in force.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reconnaissance%20in%20force. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reconnaissance in force,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reconnaissance%20in%20force.

Source: reconnaissance in force on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.