Blitzkrieg

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Grammarist

A blitzkrieg is a rapid or intense attack of any kind. Its abbreviation blitz is more common. Blitzkrieg is also a verb that can be used in the forms of blitzkrieged and blitzkrieging. It must be used with an object.

blitz can also be a team play in American football. It has the same meaning of an intense attach, usually on the quaterback.

Blitzkrieg comes from the German for lightning warfare and was coined for the Nazi style of swift, overwhelming attack.

Examples

Some half million Gaza children made a delayed return to school on Sunday after a devastating 50-day Israeli blitzkrieg that killed more than 2,100 Palestinians and damaged hundreds of school buildings. [Saudi Gazette] 

If the last few days have been any guide, the coming battle for political control of Georgia won’t be a World War II-style blitzkrieg, filled with lightning-fast troop movements and instant regime changes. Rather, the contest between a ruling GOP establishment and insurgent Democrats will resemble the entrenched combat of the Great War. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]

West Virginia’s blitzkrieg offense ran 108 plays and nearly ran away with the game in the first 20 minutes. [Washington Post]

Real Madrid crusied to a 5-1 victory in their Champions League opener against Basel, blitzkrieging their opponents with a devastating attack force. [Bleacher Report]

Likewise, the world watched with a mix of horror, amazement and fear as the Islamic State army recently blitzkrieged through Iraq and Syria. Entire towns were slaughtered in the quest to establish a new and unimpeded Sharia law-based caliphate. [Centre Daily]

A member of the RCMP arrested two wanted suspects during a traffic blitz on Thursday in Watrous, Sask. [Global News]

Brady was lined up under center until seeing that the Vikings intended to blitz, at which point he loudly yelled “I’m out” and dropped into shotgun position. The blitz did indeed come, and Brady stood in long enough to deliver the ball to Edelman. [Viking Age]