crossfire
Americannoun
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lines of gunfire from two or more positions or combatants crossing one another, or a single one of such lines.
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a brisk exchange of words or opinions.
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a situation involving conflicting claims, forces, etc.
noun
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military converging fire from one or more positions
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a lively exchange of ideas, opinions, etc
Etymology
Origin of crossfire
First recorded in 1855–60
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tit-for-tat strikes in recent days have thrust one of the world’s key chokepoints for energy into the crossfire.
They were bystanders, it turned out, caught in crossfire.
From BBC
Now, school picture day is in the crossfire.
"As someone who's been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes," she said.
From BBC
Many athletes leapt to Hess' defence, including Gu: "As someone who's been caught in the crossfire before, I feel sorry for the athletes".
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
