ambuscade

Meanings

Noun

• An ambush; a trap laid for an enemy.
• The place in which troops lie hidden for an ambush.
• The body of troops lying in ambush.

Verb

• To lie in wait for, or to attack from a covert or lurking place; to waylay.

Origin

• From French embuscade, from Italian imboscata from the past participle of imboscare, from Vulgar Latin *imbosco ("I hide, ambush") (see there for more), from Frankish *busk ("bush"), from Proto-Germanic *buskaz ("bush, heavy stick"). Compare ambush. More at bush.