Definition of fifth column in English:

fifth column

noun

A group within a country at war who are sympathetic to or working for its enemies.
第五纵队（指交战国国内同情敌人或为敌人效力的团体）
Example sentencesExamples
- Indeed, they now realise that the foreigners are, in fact, trained and equipped mercenaries despatched by a hostile country to act as its fifth column.
- It has become nothing short of a national menace, an enemy of this country's interests and a fifth column in time of war.
- Feared as a fifth column, the entire community lived under harsh military administration from 1948 until 1966.
- While thus ‘raising public awareness,’ Congress was being lobbied for legislation to confront the threat from this enemy within: the fifth column in the ivory tower.
- He feared the activities of a communist fifth column, and enacted draconian laws to restrict free expression and assembly.
- They are discriminated against because of fear that they could be a fifth column which would destroy the state from within.
- For they stand accused of being a fifth column, a homegrown wing of a global movement bent on terrorising the West.
- This refugee was a person who could not be trusted because of their feigned conditions, false identities, and suspected links to a fifth column or underworld.
- I want to warn against the fifth column here that tries to corrode our way of life.
- Allegations that they may constitute a fifth column are beginning to look increasingly shallow.
- The decadent left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead - and may well mount a fifth column.
- They were still viewed as a fifth column liable to join forces with the country's enemies at a moment's notice.
- The government used the alliance to label them a fifth column fighting alongside the enemy during a time of war.
- Democratic governments played on the fear of a fifth column within in order to bolster the national purpose.
- It is playing on xenophobia to persuade people there is a fifth column in this country and show that something is being done.
- In 1940 they spiralled to a figure above 1,200 in response to national anxieties about the fifth column.
- The creation of a potential fifth column within the organization makes the duties of members of the audit committee far more onerous than before, with no relief in sight.
- The reason this country is so successful in its spying is that it has a fifth column in almost every country in the world of people who are more loyal to it than they are to their own country.
- Who needs the fifth column and undercover agents when you have politicians lining up to do the devil's bidding?
- In some respects, too much of the fourth estate seems to act like a fifth column in this country.

Derivatives

fifth columnist

nounˌfɪfθ ˈkɒləmnɪstˌfɪ(f)θ ˈkɑləmnəst

Insurrectionists, traitors and fifth columnists were a feature of our political landscape.
Example sentencesExamples
- The film contains an imaginary radio broadcast in which listeners are alerted to be on the lookout for fifth columnists.
- Does Ms. West not think such fifth columnists exist?
- One of the main themes is the threat posed by fifth columnists, and Fred, despite his admirable single-mindedness, is dangerously naïve in his dealings with strangers.
- Some opposition politicians and businessmen are also taking on the role of the fifth columnists.

Origin

The term dates from the Spanish Civil War, when General Mola, leading four columns of troops towards Madrid, declared that he had a fifth column inside the city.

Definition of fifth column in US English:

fifth column

nounˈˌfi(f)TH ˈkäləmˈˌfɪ(f)θ ˈkɑləm

A group within a country at war who are sympathetic to or working for its enemies.
第五纵队（指交战国国内同情敌人或为敌人效力的团体）
Example sentencesExamples
- It has become nothing short of a national menace, an enemy of this country's interests and a fifth column in time of war.
- The decadent left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead - and may well mount a fifth column.
- For they stand accused of being a fifth column, a homegrown wing of a global movement bent on terrorising the West.
- This refugee was a person who could not be trusted because of their feigned conditions, false identities, and suspected links to a fifth column or underworld.
- They are discriminated against because of fear that they could be a fifth column which would destroy the state from within.
- They were still viewed as a fifth column liable to join forces with the country's enemies at a moment's notice.
- Democratic governments played on the fear of a fifth column within in order to bolster the national purpose.
- He feared the activities of a communist fifth column, and enacted draconian laws to restrict free expression and assembly.
- I want to warn against the fifth column here that tries to corrode our way of life.
- The creation of a potential fifth column within the organization makes the duties of members of the audit committee far more onerous than before, with no relief in sight.
- It is playing on xenophobia to persuade people there is a fifth column in this country and show that something is being done.
- Feared as a fifth column, the entire community lived under harsh military administration from 1948 until 1966.
- The reason this country is so successful in its spying is that it has a fifth column in almost every country in the world of people who are more loyal to it than they are to their own country.
- In 1940 they spiralled to a figure above 1,200 in response to national anxieties about the fifth column.
- Allegations that they may constitute a fifth column are beginning to look increasingly shallow.
- The government used the alliance to label them a fifth column fighting alongside the enemy during a time of war.
- Who needs the fifth column and undercover agents when you have politicians lining up to do the devil's bidding?
- While thus ‘raising public awareness,’ Congress was being lobbied for legislation to confront the threat from this enemy within: the fifth column in the ivory tower.
- In some respects, too much of the fourth estate seems to act like a fifth column in this country.
- Indeed, they now realise that the foreigners are, in fact, trained and equipped mercenaries despatched by a hostile country to act as its fifth column.

Origin

The term dates from the Spanish Civil War, when General Mola, leading four columns of troops towards Madrid, declared that he had a fifth column inside the city.

词汇	fifth column
释义	Definition of fifth column in English: fifth column noun A group within a country at war who are sympathetic to or working for its enemies. 第五纵队（指交战国国内同情敌人或为敌人效力的团体） Example sentencesExamples Indeed, they now realise that the foreigners are, in fact, trained and equipped mercenaries despatched by a hostile country to act as its fifth column. It has become nothing short of a national menace, an enemy of this country's interests and a fifth column in time of war. Feared as a fifth column, the entire community lived under harsh military administration from 1948 until 1966. While thus ‘raising public awareness,’ Congress was being lobbied for legislation to confront the threat from this enemy within: the fifth column in the ivory tower. He feared the activities of a communist fifth column, and enacted draconian laws to restrict free expression and assembly. They are discriminated against because of fear that they could be a fifth column which would destroy the state from within. For they stand accused of being a fifth column, a homegrown wing of a global movement bent on terrorising the West. This refugee was a person who could not be trusted because of their feigned conditions, false identities, and suspected links to a fifth column or underworld. I want to warn against the fifth column here that tries to corrode our way of life. Allegations that they may constitute a fifth column are beginning to look increasingly shallow. The decadent left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead - and may well mount a fifth column. They were still viewed as a fifth column liable to join forces with the country's enemies at a moment's notice. The government used the alliance to label them a fifth column fighting alongside the enemy during a time of war. Democratic governments played on the fear of a fifth column within in order to bolster the national purpose. It is playing on xenophobia to persuade people there is a fifth column in this country and show that something is being done. In 1940 they spiralled to a figure above 1,200 in response to national anxieties about the fifth column. The creation of a potential fifth column within the organization makes the duties of members of the audit committee far more onerous than before, with no relief in sight. The reason this country is so successful in its spying is that it has a fifth column in almost every country in the world of people who are more loyal to it than they are to their own country. Who needs the fifth column and undercover agents when you have politicians lining up to do the devil's bidding? In some respects, too much of the fourth estate seems to act like a fifth column in this country. Derivatives fifth columnist nounˌfɪfθ ˈkɒləmnɪstˌfɪ(f)θ ˈkɑləmnəst Insurrectionists, traitors and fifth columnists were a feature of our political landscape. Example sentencesExamples The film contains an imaginary radio broadcast in which listeners are alerted to be on the lookout for fifth columnists. Does Ms. West not think such fifth columnists exist? One of the main themes is the threat posed by fifth columnists, and Fred, despite his admirable single-mindedness, is dangerously naïve in his dealings with strangers. Some opposition politicians and businessmen are also taking on the role of the fifth columnists. Origin The term dates from the Spanish Civil War, when General Mola, leading four columns of troops towards Madrid, declared that he had a fifth column inside the city. Definition of fifth column in US English: fifth column nounˈˌfi(f)TH ˈkäləmˈˌfɪ(f)θ ˈkɑləm A group within a country at war who are sympathetic to or working for its enemies. 第五纵队（指交战国国内同情敌人或为敌人效力的团体） Example sentencesExamples It has become nothing short of a national menace, an enemy of this country's interests and a fifth column in time of war. The decadent left in its enclaves on the coasts is not dead - and may well mount a fifth column. For they stand accused of being a fifth column, a homegrown wing of a global movement bent on terrorising the West. This refugee was a person who could not be trusted because of their feigned conditions, false identities, and suspected links to a fifth column or underworld. They are discriminated against because of fear that they could be a fifth column which would destroy the state from within. They were still viewed as a fifth column liable to join forces with the country's enemies at a moment's notice. Democratic governments played on the fear of a fifth column within in order to bolster the national purpose. He feared the activities of a communist fifth column, and enacted draconian laws to restrict free expression and assembly. I want to warn against the fifth column here that tries to corrode our way of life. The creation of a potential fifth column within the organization makes the duties of members of the audit committee far more onerous than before, with no relief in sight. It is playing on xenophobia to persuade people there is a fifth column in this country and show that something is being done. Feared as a fifth column, the entire community lived under harsh military administration from 1948 until 1966. The reason this country is so successful in its spying is that it has a fifth column in almost every country in the world of people who are more loyal to it than they are to their own country. In 1940 they spiralled to a figure above 1,200 in response to national anxieties about the fifth column. Allegations that they may constitute a fifth column are beginning to look increasingly shallow. The government used the alliance to label them a fifth column fighting alongside the enemy during a time of war. Who needs the fifth column and undercover agents when you have politicians lining up to do the devil's bidding? While thus ‘raising public awareness,’ Congress was being lobbied for legislation to confront the threat from this enemy within: the fifth column in the ivory tower. In some respects, too much of the fourth estate seems to act like a fifth column in this country. Indeed, they now realise that the foreigners are, in fact, trained and equipped mercenaries despatched by a hostile country to act as its fifth column. Origin The term dates from the Spanish Civil War, when General Mola, leading four columns of troops towards Madrid, declared that he had a fifth column inside the city.
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