sally
UK: ˈsæli | US: ˈsæli
n. a sudden charge or attack, especially by troops
n. a witty or lively remark; a quip
v. to make a sudden attack or rush forward
The word "sally" originates from the Latin "salire," meaning "to leap." It entered Middle English via Old French "saillie," referring to a sudden military attack or outburst. Over time, it evolved to include figurative leaps, such as witty remarks or spontaneous actions. The morpheme "sal" preserves the core idea of movement, while the suffix "-ly" (from French "-ie") denotes an action or result.
The soldiers prepared for a daring sally against the enemy camp.
Her quick sally left everyone in the room laughing.
The knight led a sally to break the siege.
He couldn’t resist a sally about the absurdity of the situation.
The trapped rebels attempted a sally at dawn.