noun
bushwhacker
BUSH-wak-er/ˈbʊʃwækər/
A fighter who attacks by ambush, especially in rough country.
The bushwhacker lunges from the bushes, startling the unsuspecting traveler.
Etymology
A bushwhacker was originally someone who beat through bushes to make a way through the woods. The name later applied to guerrillas fighting from wooded cover, connecting woodland skill with attacks from hiding.
In context
most ruthless bushwhacker William Anderson nickname Bloody Bill like Archie Clement Bloody Bill Anderson becomes a role model for Jesse
More examples
- The supply wagon was attacked by bushwhackers.
- The history describes irregular bushwhackers operating beyond the main army.
- A hidden bushwhacker fired from the wooded hillside.
Forms
bushwhacker · bushwhackers
Similar words
- guerrilla
- An irregular fighter, while bushwhacker particularly suggests ambush from cover.