Blits

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A sudden, intense attack or blitz, often used to describe a rapid military offensive; a swift and forceful effort or campaign in various contexts; a brief but overwhelming surge of activity or energy
2. An abrupt and powerful assault typically in warfare; a fast, concentrated effort to achieve a specific goal; a quick and determined burst of work or action
3. A rapid and concentrated strike generally relating to combat; an energetic and focused attempt to accomplish something quickly; a sudden and decisive rush of effort or movement

Etymology: "Blits" is simply the plural of "blit", and the singular is the one with the story. It comes from BitBLT, the name of a computer graphics operation standing for bit-block transfer, which moves a rectangular block of pixels from one area of memory or screen to another in a single fast operation. Programmers pronounced the abbreviation "bit blit", and the shortened form "blit" was the name of the operation itself. The word's move from software jargon into general English is the unusual part. The technical sense of rapidly copying a block of bits gave the modern figurative meanings: a quick, concentrated strike or a sudden burst of focused effort. A term that once named a low-level computing routine now describes a short, decisive push in ordinary speech.

Synonyms: blitz, attack, assault