dunkirk

Noun
US[duhn-kerk]/ˈdʌnkɚk/2 syllables
Synonyms: DunkerqueDunkirk evacuation

Open English WordNet

Noun (3)

  1. a crisis in which a desperate effort is the only alternative to defeat“the Russians had to pull off a Dunkirk to get out of there”Type of crisis
  2. a seaport in northern France on the North Sea; scene of the evacuation of British forces in 1940 during World War IISynonyms: DunkerqueInstance of port, town
  3. an amphibious evacuation in World War II (1940) when 330,000 Allied troops had to be evacuated from the beaches in northern France in a desperate retreat under enemy fireSynonyms: Dunkirk evacuationDunkerqueInstance of evacuation, amphibious operationPart of World War II, World War 2
Word of the day · Sep 28About this word
onerousadjective

What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz

Advertisement

Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Dunkirk prop. n.

the name of a town and a battle fought there, in World War II (1940) when 330,000 Allied troops had to be evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk in a desperate retreat under enemy fire. Most of the forces were safely evacuated to England. Syn. — Dunkerque.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: WordNet 1.5

Advertisement