shock and awe

shock and awe

The use of shocking, impressive, or intimidating tactics in order to achieve a certain reaction from others. Sometimes hyphenated. It is by no means unusual for political candidates to use shock and awe in their ads to smear or discredit their opponents. The government's shock-and-awe campaign about the dangers of drunk driving was controversial, but it has reduced the number of roadside deaths by nearly 15%.
See also: and, awe, shock
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

shock and awe

a name given to a US military strategy, developed in the 1990s, that relies on rapidly deployed overwhelming force to cow an enemy.
See also: and, awe, shock
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • eye opener
  • eye opener, an
  • eye-opener
  • in demand
  • bleeding edge
  • hit and miss
  • hit or miss
  • hit-and-miss
  • flat chat
  • flat strap
References in periodicals archive
That in order to stay relevant, the BJP will constantly reinvent its shock and awe doctrine.
Working from a talky, formulaic script by Joey Hartstone (writer of Reiner's terrific "LBJ," in which Harrelson delivered a vivid portrayal of Lyndon Johnson), the director tries to infuse "Shock and Awe" with the taut procedural drama of "All the President's Men," "Spotlight" or "The Post." But he winds up demonstrating just how difficult it is to make shoe-leather journalism entertaining, much less artful.
Choosing the realm of hell in the name of honesty and journalistic duty towards readers is Shock and Awe 's overriding moral.
In Shock and Awe, Simon Reynolds has more than 650 pages' worth of answers.
We've had a letter co-ordinated to back the Chancellor in his "shock and awe" approach to the UK economy with 35 business leaders who donate substantially to the Conservative Party and have between them in the last year, created 17,000 jobs (and shed 14,000).
The currency has now fallen 12% over the past week in spite of the massive [ETH]750bn 'shock and awe' financial rescue package unveiled last weekend from the EU, together with the International Monetary Fund.
Rhetorical shock and awe tactics aside, Sir Christopher rejected the suggestion that No 10 policy was dictated by the White House.
I WAS left with two feelings after the Lions squad announcement this week - shock and awe.
That album's title track, the jangly Let's Impeach The President and rocky Shock And Awe all stir the blood.
We also could pray that we do not repeat in Iran the "shock and awe" of our military might.
He suggested that the current demand on choreographers to shock and awe their audiences has led to "intense, grueling rehearsal schedules" that add to physical wear and tear.
These findings might even suggest that nonembedded reporters were actually less objective than embedded reporters, as only they made references to the broad-ranged 'we,' perhaps showing more support for the Shock and Awe campaign."
military and foreign businessmen with lucrative public sector contracts." Among those quietly made Commanders of the British Empire (CBE) are General Tommy Franks, commander of the "shock and awe" invasion of Iraq; Vice-Admiral Timothy Keating, who commanded U.S.
I read with shock and awe yet another armchair general's suggestion of what he thinks we troops in Afghanistan need in the way of kit (Letters, Vol.
Ivy goes through her teenage years in stages of shock and awe and finally acceptance of this unique family practice as her own beloved mother dies.