commando
/kəˈmɑːndəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /kəˈmændəʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /kə-ˈman-(ˌ)dō/ (ame, mw)
commando — noun
- commandosingular
- commandosplural
1. an individual soldier who has had extra-tough preparation for fast, surprise rai
an individual soldier who has had extra-tough preparation for fast, surprise raids deep inside enemy territory, often by sea, air, or at night.
Dahlia's grandfather served as a British commando during the Second World War.
subject + be/serve as + a commando
Each commando carried a heavy rucksack, a rifle, and a knife strapped to one leg.
individual commando described with personal gear
Obi failed the final swim test and never became a Royal Marines commando.
The young commando crawled silently through the wet grass toward the radio tower.
Two former commandos now run a security firm together in Cape Town.
- special-forces soldier
broader category that includes commandos plus other elite roles
- raider
older / informal label for the same kind of fighter
- ranger
American equivalent in the US Army
文法句型
a commando
the commandos
用法筆記
Refers to ONE soldier in the unit. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the unit itself; sense 1 is countable for an individual person.
常見錯誤
2. a small armed unit, often only a few dozen people, sent out together to carry ou
a small armed unit, often only a few dozen people, sent out together to carry out one fast strike behind enemy lines and then withdraw.
A six-man commando blew up the radar station and slipped back to the coast before sunrise.
size + commando + mission verb
Élise led a commando of resistance fighters into the occupied village on Christmas Eve.
lead / send + a commando
The general dropped a commando behind the front line to cut the supply road.
Mateo wrote a thesis on the small commandos that sabotaged German trains in 1944.
- raiding party
everyday wording for the same kind of small temporary group
- strike team
modern, often civilian or police use as well
- task force
broader; can be much larger and longer-running
文法句型
a commando of [N] men
the commandos
用法筆記
Refers to the UNIT, not one soldier. Distinguish from sense 1 — here the article 'a' attaches to the whole team (a commando of ten men), not a single fighter.