ruse de guerre

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French ruse de guerre.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

ruse de guerre (plural ruses de guerre)

  1. A stratagem of war.
    • 1966, Elena Lourie, “A Society Organized for War: Medieval Spain”, in Past and Present:
      When a fire breaks out in the town, the citizens are straitly ordered not to rush to the fire but to the city-gates in order to secure them; and only then may they put out the fire; for, the statues explain, wilful incendiarism is a well-tried ruse de guerre much used by fifth-columnists anxious to let in the enemy.

Translations[edit]