franc-tireur

[ frahn-tee-rœr ]

noun,plural francs-ti·reurs [frahn-tee-rœr]. /frɑ̃ tiˈrœr/. French.
  1. a sharpshooter in the French army.

Origin of franc-tireur

1
First recorded in 1800–10

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use franc-tireur in a sentence

  • Mit der franc tireur it is finish quicker, but here in der Republic we reverence have for der law.

    The Cattle-Baron's Daughter | Harold Bindloss
  • He was in German eyes only a franc tireur, subject to instant execution, and he wondered why von Boehlen had delayed.

    The Forest of Swords | Joseph A. Altsheler
  • A franc-tireur fired at them point-blank, and the bullet whistled between them.

    Lorraine | Robert W. Chambers
  • Is a peasant or franc-tireur to be allowed to endanger hundreds of those lives by removing a rail or laying a stone upon the line?

  • Four were killed, and sixteen taken prisoners; one franc tireur, only, was slightly wounded.

British Dictionary definitions for franc-tireur

franc-tireur

/ French (frɑ̃tirœr) /


noun
  1. a sniper

  2. a guerrilla or irregular soldier

Origin of franc-tireur

1
C19: from franc free + tireur shooter, from tirer to shoot, of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012