first strike

noun

the initial use of nuclear weapons to attack a country that also has nuclear weapons; considered feasible only when the attacker can destroy the other country's ability to retaliate

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the Pakistani president promised no first strike against India

• Hypernyms: ↑strike

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noun

: a preemptive nuclear attack

• first-strike \\ˈ ̷ ̷ ¦ ̷ ̷ \ adjective

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the initial use of nuclear weapons in a conflict, in which the attacker tries to destroy the adversary's strategic nuclear forces.

[1960-65]

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first strike noun

A pre-emptive attack on an enemy, intended to destroy their nuclear weapons before they can be brought into use

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Main Entry: ↑first

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first strike UK US noun [countable] [singular first strike plural first strikes]

an attack with nuclear weapons that is intended to destroy an enemy’s nuclear weapons

Thesaurus: military or armed attack_hyponym nuclear weapons_hyponym

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n. an attack with nuclear weapons designed to destroy the enemy's nuclear weapons before their use

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noun, pl ⋯ strikes [count]

: a nuclear attack against an enemy before the enemy can attack

launch a first strike

first-strike adj, always used before a noun

a first-strike capability/threat

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ˌfirst ˈstrike f33 [first strike] noun

an attack on an enemy made before they attack you

•

the threat of a strategic first strike