dragoon
[ druh-goon ]
/ drəˈgun /
noun
(especially formerly) a European cavalryman of a heavily armed troop.
a member of a military unit formerly composed of such cavalrymen, as in the British army.
(formerly) a mounted infantryman armed with a short musket.
verb (used with object)
to set dragoons or soldiers upon; persecute by armed force; oppress.
to force by oppressive measures; coerce: The authorities dragooned the peasants into leaving their farms.
Origin of dragoon
1615–25; < French
dragon, special use of
dragon
dragon, applied first to a pistol hammer (so named because of its shape), then to the firearm, then to the troops so armed
OTHER WORDS FROM dragoon
dra·goon·age, noun un·dra·gooned, adjectiveWords nearby dragoon
dragonfish,
dragonfly,
dragonhead,
dragonnade,
dragonroot,
dragoon,
dragrope,
dragsaw,
dragster,
dragsville,
draguignan
Example sentences from the Web for dragoon
British Dictionary definitions for dragoon
dragoon
/ (drəˈɡuːn) /
noun
(originally) a mounted infantryman armed with a carbine
(sometimes capital)
a domestic fancy pigeon
- a type of cavalryman
- (pl; cap when part of a name)the Royal Dragoons
verb (tr)
to coerce; force
he was dragooned into admitting it
to persecute by military force
Derived forms of dragoon
dragoonage, nounWord Origin for dragoon
C17: from French
dragon (special use of
dragon), soldier armed with a carbine, perhaps suggesting that a carbine, like a dragon, breathed forth fire