Strafe
Pronunciation
- UK, US IPA: /stɹeɪf/
- less commonly also IPA: /strɑf/
- Rhymes: -eɪf
Origin
German strafe ("punish"), a conjugated form of strafen ("punish") the British saw in German expressions like "Gott strafe England" ("God punish England") during the First World War.
Full definition of strafe
Verb
- (transitive) To attack (ground targets) with automatic gunfire from a low-flying aircraft.
- (intransitive, video games) to sidestep; to move sideways without turning. A core mechanic of most first-person shooters.
- 2001, Jana Hallford, Swords and circuitry: a designer's guide to computer role playing gamesIf the NPC is close to the player, he may also try using the tried-and-true Quake circle-strafing technique.
- 2007, Stephen Cawood, Pat McGee, Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator's GuideA strafe is a side-to-side camera movement. If you're a fan of first-person shooter games, you know how fundamental strafing can be to a game.
Noun
strafe
(plural strafes)- An attack of machine-gun or cannon fire from a low-flying aircraft.
- (video games) A sideways movement without turning.
- 2004, Marc Saltzman, Game Creation and Careers: Insider Secrets from Industry ExpertsWe also have added a new game control called the "defensive strafe," in which the user can press a button and stay facing forward.