ambuscade

/ˈæmbəsˌkeɪd/

Other forms: ambuscades; ambuscaded; ambuscading

An ambuscade is a surprise attack. There's nothing funnier than watching your cat lie in wait behind the couch until your dog wanders over, only to be startled by the cat's ambuscade.

While ambuscade is a bit old-fashioned, it's a perfectly good way to say ambush. Soldiers in battle conduct strategic ambuscades, and you may also enjoy using an ambuscade against your brother now and then, leaping out from behind a door to make him jump. It can also be used as a verb: "The dog is surprised every single time the cat ambuscades him."

Definitions of ambuscade

1. noun

   the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise
   synonyms: ambush, lying in wait, trap

   types:

   dry-gulching

   the act of killing from ambush

   type of:

   coup de main, surprise attack

   an attack without warning
2. verb

   wait in hiding to attack
   synonyms: ambush, bushwhack, lie in wait, lurk, scupper, waylay

   type of:

   wait

   stay in one place and anticipate or expect something