/sawr"tee/ , n. , v. , sortied, sortieing .
n.
1. a rapid movement of troops from a besieged place to attack the besiegers.
2. a body of troops involved in such a movement.
3. the flying of an airplane on a combat mission.
v.i.
4. to go on a sortie; sally forth.
[ 1680-90; sortir to go out ]