Dunkirk

[ duhn-kurk ]

noun

1. French Dun·kerque [d, œn, -, kerk]. a seaport in N France: site of the evacuation of a British expeditionary force of over 330,000 men under German fire May 29–June 4, 1940.
2. a period of crisis or emergency when drastic measures must be enforced:

   The smaller nations were facing a financial Dunkirk.

3. a city in W New York, on Lake Erie.

Dunkirk

1. The scene of a remarkable, though ignominious, retreat by the British army in World War II . Dunkirk, a town on the northern coast of France , was the last refuge of the British during the fall of France , and several hundred naval and civilian vessels took the troops back to England in shifts over three days.

Notes

The term Dunkirk is sometimes used to signify a desperate retreat.

Example Sentences

It is clear, from several recent visits to the camps around Dunkirk and Calais, that the Vietnamese gangs and their clients operate separately from other groups.

From BBC

Stuck in France, camping in a forest near Dunkirk, Thanh was offered work by Vietnamese people smugglers.

From BBC

He also began acting, featuring in Hollywood blockbuster Dunkirk the following year.

From BBC

Friedkin is an aeroplane enthusiast, his grandfather founded an airline in the US, while he himself piloted a Spitfire in the Hollywood blockbuster Dunkirk.

From BBC

The incident happened offshore between Calais and Dunkirk, in France, on Sunday morning, a French maritime official told the BBC.

From BBC