Meaning of night of the long knives | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A purge, in which opponents of a regime or political party are killed or removed.
2. Alternative letter-case form of night of the long knives (“purge”)
   alt-of
3. The violent purge against the Sturmabteilung ordered by the leadership of Nazi Party in 1934.
   specifically

Equivalents

Examples

“(It was to precede yet another night of the long knives—this one of Republican knives honed up for Truman and the new Truman-Democratic Party. But this latter would in some ways be actually a manifestation of secondary importance.)”

“Although the business world has its “nights of the long knives,” the affluent are generally reluctant to be totally ruthless either in competition with one another or against individuals of lesser financial standing.”

“[…] was unable to fight, Americans didn't understand the Vietnamese, all whites must encourage only selected Vietnamese loyal to the French because the remainder would turn against all whites in another "night of the long knives" similar to that of 1946.”

“[…] while the architects watched hopelessly and helplessly. Again, it was a group of young Nigerian revolutionaries in military uniform who rushed to the rescue and tried to save the country from the experience of another night of the long knives.”

“[…] who understand 2008 NHS dynamics, and while some trusts have to strengthen their line-ups during the course of the application process, I would counsel against dramatic nights of the long knives.”

CEFR level