air force

noun

the airborne branch of a country's armed forces (Freq. 2)

• Syn: ↑airforce

• Topics: ↑military, ↑armed forces, ↑armed services, ↑military machine, ↑war machine

• Hypernyms: ↑military service, ↑armed service, ↑service

• Hyponyms: ↑Air Corps, ↑Royal Air Force, ↑RAF, ↑Luftwaffe, ↑German Luftwaffe

• Member Meronyms: ↑air unit

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noun

1. : one of the armed services of a state analogous to or part of the military and naval services and having the primary missions of gaining control of the air, interdicting the enemy lines of communication, supporting surface forces (as by bombing and strafing), and accomplishing strategic bombing objectives

2. : a unit of that echelon of the United States Air Force that is higher than an air division and lower than an air command and is usually composed of two or more air divisions

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1. the U.S. department consisting of practically all military aviation forces, established July 26, 1947.

2. (l.c.) a similar department in any military organization.

3. (l.c.) (formerly) the largest unit in the U.S. Army Air Forces.

4. (l.c.) a unit of U.S. Air Force command between an air division and an air command.

5. (sometimes l.c.) the military unit of a nation charged with carrying out military operations in the air.

6. Brit. Royal Air Force.

[1915-1920]

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air force noun

A force organized for warfare in the air, often with caps when referring to a national force

• • •

Main Entry: ↑air

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air force UK US noun [countable] [singular air force plural air forces] ★★

the part of a country’s military organization that uses planes in fighting

the Russian air force

an air force pilot

Thesaurus: armed forces and armies_hyponym

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air force,

1. the branch of the military forces that uses aircraft.

2. the largest tactical unit of this branch.

Air Force,

1. U.S. a separate branch of the armed forces of the United States, created in 1947, that includes aviation personnel, equipment, etc. Abbr: AF (no periods), A.F.

2. British. the Royal Air Force.

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n. often the air force or the Air Force the branch of a nation's armed services that conducts military operations in the air

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noun, pl ⋯ forces [count]

: the part of a country's military forces that fights with airplanes

the combined allied air forces

— usually capitalized when a specific air force is being referred to

the British Air Force

She joined the (U.S.) Air Force after she graduated from high school.

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ˈair force [air force air forces] noun countable + singular or plural verb

the part of a country's armed forces that fights using aircraft

•

the US Air Force

•

air-force officers

 

Culture:

the armed forces

The British armed forces, sometimes called the services, consist of the Army, the Royal Navy (RN), and the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Queen is Commander-in-Chief of all three services, but responsibility for their management lies with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which is headed by the Secretary of State for Defence. The Army is the largest of the three services and the Royal Navy the smallest. The Navy is the service with the longest history and is sometimes known as the senior service. The regular forces are supported when necessary by the regular reserves, who are former members of the regular forces and volunteer reserves, people who train in their free time with the Territorial Army, the Reserve Air Forces, or the Royal Navy Reserve. In 1998 the government’s Strategic Defence Review set out a plan of modernization of the armed forces and established a Joint Rapid Reaction Force which includes all three services.

In the US the President is Commander-in Chief of the armed forces and the Secretary of Defense is responsible for their management. The Joint Chiefs of Staff are the military leaders of the four services, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, which are supported when necessary by the reserve forces, the US Army Reserve, the National Guard and the Navy Reserve. The Army is the service with the longest history. Four of its leaders became President: George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Ulysses S Grant and Dwight Eisenhower.

 

Collocations:

War and peace

Starting a war

declare/make/wage war (on sb/sth)

go to war (against/with sb)

cause/spark/provoke/foment/quell unrest

incite/lead/crush/suppress a revolt/rebellion

launch/mount/carry out a surprise/terrorist attack

prevent/halt/represent an escalation of the conflict

be torn apart by/be on the brink of civil war

enter/invade/occupy sb's territory

lead/launch/resist/repel an invasion

Military operations

adopt/develop/implement/pursue a military strategy

carry out/execute/perform military operations/manoeuvres/(especially US) maneuvers

send/deploy/station/pull back/withdraw troops

go on/fly/carry out a reconnaissance/rescue mission

train/equip/deploy army/military/combat units

lead/launch/conduct a raid/a surprise attack/an (air/airborne/amphibious) assault (on sb)

employ/use guerrilla tactics

conduct/wage biological/guerrilla warfare

fight/crush/defeat the rebels/the insurgency

suffer/inflict a crushing defeat

achieve/win a decisive victory

halt/stop the British/German/Russian advance

order/force a retreat

Fighting

join/serve in the army/navy/air force

be/go/remain/serve on active duty

serve/complete/return from a tour of duty

be sent to the front (line)

attack/strike/engage/defeat/kill/destroy the enemy

see/report/be engaged in heavy fighting

call for/be met with armed resistance

come under heavy/machine-gun/mortar fire

fire a machine-gun/mortar shells/rockets (at sb/sth)

shoot a rifle/a pistol/bullets/missiles

launch/fire a cruise/ballistic/anti-tank missile

use biological/chemical/nuclear weapons

inflict/suffer/sustain heavy losses/casualties

be hit/killed by enemy/friendly/artillery fire

become/be held as a prisoner of war

Civilians in war

harm/kill/target/protect innocent/unarmed civilians

cause/avoid/limit/minimize civilian casualties/collateral damage

impose/enforce/lift a curfew

engage in/be a victim of ethnic cleansing

be sent to an internment/a concentration camp

accept/house/resettle refugees fleeing from war

fear/threaten military/violent reprisals

commit/be accused of war crimes/crimes against humanity/genocide

Making peace

make/bring/win/achieve/maintain/promote peace

call for/negotiate/broker/declare a ceasefire/a temporary truce

sign a ceasefire agreement

call for/bring/put an end to hostilities

demand/negotiate/accept the surrender of sb/sth

establish/send (in) a peacekeeping force

negotiate/conclude/ratify/sign/accept/reject/break/violate a peace treaty