Enfilading

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The method of attacking an adversary from the side to exploit vulnerabilities involves directing fire down a line of sight against the enemy's defenses
2. A tactical maneuver in warfare that utilizes lateral fire to engage targets highlights positions that can be struck from a broader angle
3. Firing or attacking along the longest axis of an enemy formation to maximize impact and exploit weaknesses

Etymology: The verb "enfilade" came into English from French "enfilade", a word built on the idea of threading things on a string. In French, "enfiler" means to thread a needle or string beads, and the noun formed from it named a row of things lined up in a single line, such as a series of rooms opening one behind another with their doors aligned. That image of a straight, unbroken line is what carries over into warfare: fire that sweeps along the length of a line of troops, or down a trench, rather than hitting them from the front. The "-ing" ending here marks the present participle and gerund form of the verb, so "enfilading" is simply what the action of firing along a line is called while it is happening. The base word's core sense has stayed the same across its French and English history, preserving the picture of a line of targets strung out in order.