franc-tireur [frahn-tee-rœr] EXAMPLES|WORD ORIGIN noun, plural francs-ti·reurs [frahn-tee-rœr] /frɑ̃ tiˈrœr/. French. a sharpshooter in the French army. Liberaldictionary.com
Origin of franc-tireur First recorded in 1800–10 Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019 Examples from the Web for franc-tireur Historical Examples of franc-tireur
I see that yesterday a Franc-tireur was tried for breaking his musket when ordered to march.
Diary of the Besieged Resident in Paris
Henry Labouchre
A footfall sounded on the dead leaves behind him, and a franc-tireur touched him on the shoulder.
Robert W. Chambers
Sure enough, around the bend in the road slunk a franc-tireur, loaded down with what appeared to be mail-sacks.
Robert W. Chambers
The franc-tireur nodded with a ghastly smile and glanced down at his dripping gunstock.
Robert W. Chambers
Is a peasant or franc-tireur to be allowed to endanger hundreds of those lives by removing a rail or laying a stone upon the line?
The Rise of Rail-Power in War and Conquest, 1833-1914
Edwin A. Pratt
British Dictionary definitions for franc-tireur franc-tireur noun a sniper a guerrilla or irregular soldier Word Origin for franc-tireur C19: from franc free + tireur shooter, from tirer to shoot, of unknown origin Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for franc-tireur n.
“sharpshooter of the irregular infantry,” 1808, French, literally “free-shooter,” from franc “free” (see frank) + tireur “shooter,” from tirer “to draw, shoot” (see tirade). A term from the French Revolution.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper