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
* * *
noun1. : 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
* * *
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]
* * *
air force noun
A force organized for warfare in the air, often with caps when referring to a national force
• • •
Main Entry: ↑air
* * *
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 armieshyponym
* * *
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.
* * *
n. often the air force or the Air Force the branch of a nation's armed services that conducts military operations in the air
* * *
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.
* * *
the part of a country's armed forces that fights using aircraft
•
the US Air Force
•
air-force officers
Culture:
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:
Starting a war
declare/make/wage war (on sb/sth)
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
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
Useful english dictionary. 2012.