first strike

first strike

n.

A preemptive attack against an enemy, especially one using nuclear weapons against an enemy armed with nuclear weapons.

---

first-strike (fûrststrk) adj.

---

The first offensive move of a war. (Generally associated with nuclear operations.)

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

first strike - the initial use of nuclear weapons to attack a country that also has nuclear weapons; considered feasible only when the attacker can destroy the other country's ability to retaliate; "the Pakistani president promised no first strike against India" strike - an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective; "the strike was scheduled to begin at dawn"