- dragoon
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—dragoonage, n./dreuh goohn"/, n.1. (esp. formerly) a European cavalryman of a heavily armed troop.2. a member of a military unit formerly composed of such cavalrymen, as in the British army.3. (formerly) a mounted infantryman armed with a short musket.v.t.4. to set dragoons or soldiers upon; persecute by armed force; oppress.5. to force by oppressive measures; coerce: The authorities dragooned the peasants into leaving their farms.[1615-25; < F dragon, special use of dragon DRAGON, applied first to a pistol hammer (so named because of its shape), then to the firearm, then to the troops so armed]
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In late 16th-century Europe, a mounted soldier who fought as a light cavalryman on attack and as a dismounted infantryman on defense.The term derived from his weapon, a short musket called the dragoon. Dragoons were organized in companies, and their officers bore infantry titles. By the 18th century, dragoon referred to members of certain cavalry regiments. The term is still applied in the British Army to certain armoured reconnaissance units.* * *
▪ soldierin late 16th-century Europe, a mounted soldier who fought as a light cavalryman (cavalry) on attack and as a dismounted infantryman (infantry) on defense. The terms derived from his weapon, a species of carbine or short musket called the dragoon. Dragoons were organized not in squadrons but in companies, and their officers and noncommissioned officers bore infantry titles. From the early wars of Frederick II the Great of Prussia in the 18th century, dragoon has referred to medium cavalry. The light cavalry of the British army in the 18th and early 19th centuries was for the most part called light dragoon. In the 20th century, dragoon regiments were converted to armoured formations; the French army also reorganized some dragoon regiments as motorized infantry (dragons portés).* * *
Universalium. 2010.
