echelon
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ech·e·lon
(ĕsh′ə-lŏn′)n.
1.
a. A formation of troops in which each unit is positioned successively to the left or right of the rear unit to form an oblique or steplike line.
b. A flight formation or arrangement of craft in this manner.
c. A similar formation of groups, units, or individuals.
2. A subdivision of a military or naval force: a command echelon.
3. A level of responsibility or authority in a hierarchy; a rank: a job in the company's lower echelon.
4. Physics A special form of diffraction grating that resembles a flight of stairs of equal heights and equal widths.
tr. & intr.v. ech·e·loned, ech·e·lon·ing, ech·e·lons
To arrange or take place in an echelon.
[French échelon, from Old French eschelon, rung of a ladder, from eschiele, ladder, from Late Latin scāla, back-formation from Latin scālae, steps, ladder; see skand- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
echelon
(ˈɛʃəˌlɒn)n
1. a level of command, responsibility, etc (esp in the phrase the upper echelons)
2. (Military) military
a. a formation in which units follow one another but are offset sufficiently to allow each unit a line of fire ahead
b. a group formed in this way
3. (General Physics) physics a type of diffraction grating used in spectroscopy consisting of a series of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset
vb
(Military) to assemble in echelon
[C18: from French échelon, literally: rung of a ladder, from Old French eschiele ladder, from Latin scāla; see scale3]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ech•e•lon
(ˈɛʃ əˌlɒn)n.
1. a level of command, authority, or rank.
2. a stepped formation, as of troops, ships, or planes, in which individuals or elements are arranged in parallel lines, each to the right or left of the one in front.
3. one of the groups of a formation so arranged.
v.t., v.i. 4. to form in an echelon.
[1790–1800; < French échelon, orig. rung of a ladder, Old French eschelon ladder]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
echelon
- Comes from French echelle, "ladder," from Latin scala, and first meant a formation of troops.See also related terms for troops.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
echelon
1. A subdivision of a headquarters, i.e., forward echelon, rear echelon.
2. Separate level of command. As compared to a regiment, a division is a higher echelon, a battalion is a lower echelon.
3. A fraction of a command in the direction of depth to which a principal combat mission is assigned; i.e., attack echelon, support echelon, reserve echelon.
4. A formation in which its subdivisions are placed one behind another, with a lateral and even spacing to the same side.
2. Separate level of command. As compared to a regiment, a division is a higher echelon, a battalion is a lower echelon.
3. A fraction of a command in the direction of depth to which a principal combat mission is assigned; i.e., attack echelon, support echelon, reserve echelon.
4. A formation in which its subdivisions are placed one behind another, with a lateral and even spacing to the same side.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
Echelon
an arrangement of troops drawn up in parallel lines in step formation, 1796; vessels advancing in line at an angle to the direction of sailing.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
echelon
Past participle: echeloned
Gerund: echeloning
| Imperative |
|---|
| echelon |
| echelon |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  echelon - a body of troops arranged in a linemilitary force, military group, military unit, force - a unit that is part of some military service; "he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men" armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker" |
| 2. | echelon - a diffraction grating consisting of a pile of plates of equal thickness arranged stepwise with a constant offset diffraction grating, grating - optical device consisting of a surface with many parallel grooves in it; disperses a beam of light (or other electromagnetic radiation) into its wavelengths to produce its spectrum |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
echelon
noun level, place, office, position, step, degree, rank, grade, tier, rung the lower echelons of society
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
echelon
[ˈeʃəlɒn] N (= level) → nivel m; (= degree) → grado m (Mil) → escalón mthe upper echelons of the corporation → los cuadros directivos de la compañía
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
echelon
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995