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comparative more Fabian, superlative most Fabian
(military) Pertaining to or reminiscent of Roman general Fabius Maximus, whose tactics against Hannibal during the Second Punic War famously consisted of delaying or avoiding combat, focusing instead on weakening the enemy by cutting off supply lines. quotations
Hood complained behind his commander's back to Richmond of Johnston's Fabian strategy.
1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, Oxford, published 2004, page 745
(politics) Advocating that social reforms be reached through a series of gradual and moderate stages rather than sudden revolution; specifically, relating to the Fabian Society, a British socialist society advocating reformist socialism. examples
(by extension) cautious; dilatory; avoiding a decisive contest. examples
plural Fabians
(politics) A Fabian socialist, a gradualist socialist; a member of the Fabian Society. examples
(rare) A male given name from Latin.
A surname. examples