I. ˈrād noun
( -s )
Etymology: Scots dialect, from Old English rād ride, raid — more at road
1.
a. : a hostile or predatory incursion by mounted men
a border raid
b. : a sudden and rapid invasion or military operation especially on a small scale : foray , inroad
a raid specifically designed to capture one or more prisoners — Combat Forces Journal
specifically : a surprise attack made usually by a small force (as of airplanes, fast naval craft, or ground or amphibious forces) and with no intention of holding the territory or area invaded — compare air raid
c. : an attack upon enemy or neutral merchant ships in shipping lanes
2.
a. : a brief expedition or hurried movement into a place or situation outside one's usual sphere especially for the purpose of obtaining something
a raid upon the neighborhood shops
b. : a sudden attack or invasion by officers of the law (as for the purpose of making arrests or seizing illicit stores)
a raid upon a gambling house
c. : a venture by wild animals or birds onto cultivated land especially for food
on its early morning raids on the peas in adjacent gardens — British Birds in Colour
raids by baboons
d. : a daring or unorthodox operation against a competitor or rival (as to gain recruits or exert pressure)
signed many baseball stars in a raid of the major leagues
specifically : an effort by one union to win as members workers already belonging to another union
3. : the act of mulcting especially public money (as by graft or pork-barrel appropriations)
forestall a raid on the treasury
4. : an attempt by professional operators to depress prices of stocks by concerted selling
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to make a raid upon or into
amassed their cattle and horses by raiding the herds of other clans — Current Biography
rear-area units raided of their physically fit — Time
the sinking fund was raided year after year for ever-increasing amounts — J.H.Plumb
when the barn owl raids sparrow roosts — W.H.Dowdeswell
raid the icebox
intransitive verb
: to conduct or take part in a raid : maraud
300 Indians were sent … to raid on the settlers — Louise Koier
raiding parties crossed the border repeatedly