bivouac

[ biv-oo-ak, biv-wak ]
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noun
  1. a military encampment made with tents or improvised shelters, usually without shelter or protection from enemy fire.

  2. the place used for such an encampment.

verb (used without object),biv·ou·acked, biv·ou·ack·ing.
  1. to rest or assemble in such an area; encamp.

Origin of bivouac

1
1700–10; <French <Swiss German bīwacht auxiliary patrol, equivalent to bī-by- + wacht patrol, watch

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How to use bivouac in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bivouac

bivouac

/ (ˈbɪvʊˌæk, ˈbɪvwæk) /


noun
  1. a temporary encampment with few facilities, as used by soldiers, mountaineers, etc

verb-acs, -acking or -acked
  1. (intr) to make such an encampment

Origin of bivouac

1
C18: from French bivuac, probably from Swiss German Beiwacht, literally: by + watch

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