Definition of "strafe"

strafe

/stɹeɪf/

verb
third-person singular simple present strafes, present participle strafing, simple past and past participle strafed
1. (transitive, military, aviation) To attack (ground targets) with automatic gunfire from a low-flying aircraft.
2. (transitive, military, by extension) To rake (a target) with rapid or automatic gunfire.
  Quotations
  Laffey, fresh off from strafing Hiei, ran straight into a quarter of the Japanese navy's remaining destroyers, and, along with Kirishima, between gunfire and another successful Type 93 torpedo strike that tore off the ship's stern, the hapless destroyer was left drifting, ablaze, and would eventually sink.
  2021 March 10, Drachinifel, 20:16 from the start, in Guadalcanal Campaign - The Big Night Battle: Night 1 (IJN 3(?) : 2 USN)‎, archived from the original on 17 October 2022
3. (intransitive, video games) To sidestep; to move sideways without turning (a core mechanic of most first-person shooters).
  Quotations
  Strafe — Press the Alt key and the left or right Arrow key to slide side to side instead of turning left or right.
  1992, id Software, Wolfenstein 3D (game manual), page 4
  If the NPC is close to the player, he may also try using the tried-and-true Quake circle-strafing technique.
  2001, Jana Hallford, Swords and circuitry: a designer's guide to computer role playing games
  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.
  2007, Stephen Cawood, Pat McGee, Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator's Guide
noun
plural strafes
1. An attack of machine-gun or cannon fire from a low-flying aircraft.
2. (video games) A sideways movement without turning.
  Quotations
  We also have added a new game control called the "defensive strafe," in which the user can press a button and stay facing forward.
  2004, Marc Saltzman, Game Creation and Careers: Insider Secrets from Industry Experts

Definition of "strafe"

strafe

verb

Quotations

Quotations

noun

Quotations