echelon (redirected from echelons)

ech·e·lon  (sh-ln)

n.

1.

a. A formation of troops in which each unit is positioned successively to the left or right of the rear unit to form an oblique or steplike line.

b. A flight formation or arrangement of craft in this manner.

c. A similar formation of groups, units, or individuals.

2. A subdivision of a military or naval force: a command echelon.

3. A level of responsibility or authority in a hierarchy; a rank: a job in the company's lower echelon.

tr. & intr.v. ech·e·loned, ech·e·lon·ing, ech·e·lons

To arrange or take place in an echelon.

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[French échelon, from Old French eschelon, rung of a ladder, from eschiele, ladder, from Late Latin scla, back-formation from Latin sclae, steps, ladder; see skand- in Indo-European roots.]

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echelon [ˈɛʃəˌlɒn]

n

1. a level of command, responsibility, etc. (esp in the phrase the upper echelons)

2. (Military) Military

a.  a formation in which units follow one another but are offset sufficiently to allow each unit a line of fire ahead

b.  a group formed in this way

3. (Physics / General Physics) Physics a type of diffraction grating used in spectroscopy consisting of a series of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset

vb

(Military) to assemble in echelon

[from French échelon, literally: rung of a ladder, from Old French eschiele ladder, from Latin scāla; see scale³]

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Echelon an arrangement of troops drawn up in parallel lines in step formation, 1796; vessels advancing in line at an angle to the direction of sailing.

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1. A subdivision of a headquarters, i.e., forward echelon, rear echelon.
2. Separate level of command. As compared to a regiment, a division is a higher echelon, a battalion is a lower echelon.
3. A fraction of a command in the direction of depth to which a principal combat mission is assigned; i.e., attack echelon, support echelon, reserve echelon.
4. A formation in which its subdivisions are placed one behind another, with a lateral and even spacing to the same side.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	echelon - a body of troops arranged in a line military force, military group, military unit, force - a unit that is part of some military service; "he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men" armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
	2.	echelon - a diffraction grating consisting of a pile of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset diffraction grating, grating - optical device consisting of a surface with many parallel grooves in it; disperses a beam of light (or other electromagnetic radiation) into its wavelengths to produce its spectrum

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echelon

noun level, place, office, position, step, degree, rank, grade, tier, rung the lower echelons of society

Translations

echelon [ˈeʃəlɒn] N (= level) → nivel m; (= degree) → grado m (Mil) → escalón m
the upper echelons of the corporation → los cuadros directivos de la compañía

echelon [ˈɛʃəlɒn] n

(= level) [organization, society] → échelon m
the upper echelons of → les plus hauts échelons de

(MILITARY) (= formation) → échelon m

echelon

n (Mil, = formation) → Staffelung f, → Echelon m (old); the higher echelons → die höheren Ränge pl

echelon [ˈɛʃəˌlɒn] n

a. → grado

b. (Mil) → scaglione m

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echelon [ˈɛʃəˌlɒn] n

a. → grado

b. (Mil) → scaglione m