camisado

American  

[kam-uh-sey-doh, -sah-] / ˌkæm əˈseɪ doʊ, -ˈsɑ- /

Also camisade

noun

Archaic.

plural

camisados

1. a military attack made at night.

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camisado British  

/ ˌkæmɪˈseɪd, ˌkæmɪˈsɑːdəʊ /

noun

1. (formerly) an attack made under cover of darkness

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Etymology

Origin of camisado

1540–50; < Spanish camisada (now obsolete), equivalent to camis ( a ) shirt ( chemise ) + -ada -ade ¹; so called because participants in such attacks would wear shirts over their armor to aid in recognition

Example Sentences

And hence arose the term camisado for a night-attack, in which the assailants recognised each other in the dark by their white shirt-sleeves, sometimes further distinguished by a tight cincture of broad black riband.

From The Uncollected Writings of Thomas de Quincey—Vol. 1 With a Preface and Annotations by James Hogg by Hogg, James

A camisado, or shirt-tumult, every where: stormbell set a-ringing; village-drum beating furious generale, as here at Clermont, under illumination; distracted Patriots pleading and menacing!

From The French Revolution by Carlyle, Thomas

"Here is a new sort of camisado," quoth Cary.

From Westward Ho!, or, the voyages and adventures of Sir Amyas Leigh, Knight, of Burrough, in the county of Devon, in the reign of her most glorious majesty Queen Elizabeth by Kingsley, Charles

Yet, considering that trained men and a numerous horse have great advantage by daylight, I should be in favour of a camisado or night onfall.'

From Micah Clarke His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During the Hard Winter of 1734 by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir

The last literal camisado, that I remember, was a nautical one—a cutting-out enterprise somewhere about 1807-8.

From The Uncollected Writings of Thomas de Quincey—Vol. 1 With a Preface and Annotations by James Hogg by Hogg, James