strafe

Etymology

German strafe (“punish”), a conjugated form of strafen (“punish”) the British saw in German expressions like "Gott strafe England" ("God punish England") during the First World War.

Pronunciation

• (UK), (US) IPA^(key): /stɹeɪf/
• (less commonly also) IPA^(key): /stɹɑf/
• Rhymes: -eɪf

Verb

strafe (third-person singular simple present strafes, present participle strafing, simple past and past participle strafed)

1. (transitive) To attack (ground targets) with automatic gunfire from a low-flying aircraft.
2. (intransitive, video games) to sidestep; to move sideways without turning. A core mechanic of most first-person shooters.
   • 2001, Jana Hallford, Swords and circuitry: a designer's guide to computer role playing games

     If the NPC is close to the player, he may also try using the tried-and-true Quake circle-strafing technique.

   • 2007, Stephen Cawood, Pat McGee, Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator's Guide

     A strafe is a side-to-side camera movement. If you're a fan of first-person shooter games, you know how fundamental strafing can be to a game.

Noun

strafe (plural strafes)

1. An attack of machine-gun or cannon fire from a low-flying aircraft.
2. (video games) A sideways movement without turning.
   • 2004, Marc Saltzman, Game Creation and Careers: Insider Secrets from Industry Experts

     We also have added a new game control called the "defensive strafe," in which the user can press a button and stay facing forward.

Anagrams

• afters, farest, faster, freats

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃtʁaːfə/

Verb

strafe

1. first person singular and imperative of strafen