Sortie vs. Sally — What's the Difference?

A sortie (from the French word meaning exit or from Latin root surgere meaning to "rise up") is a deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops, from a strongpoint. The term originated in siege warfare.

To rush out or leap forth suddenly

An armed attack, especially one made from a place surrounded by enemy forces.

To issue suddenly from a defensive or besieged position to attack an enemy.

A flight of a combat aircraft on a mission.

To set out on a trip or excursion

To go on a sortie.

A sudden rush forward or leap.

An attack made by troops from a besieged position; a sally.

An assault from a defensive position; a sortie.

(aviation) An operational flight carried out by a single military aircraft.

A sudden effort toward action or expression

(by extension)

A sudden quick witticism; a quip.

An act of venturing out to do a task, etc.

A venturing forth; a jaunt.

(figuratively)

A willow

(astronautics) An operational flight carried out by a spacecraft involving a return to Earth.

Any tree that looks like a willow

(military) sally port

An object made from the above trees' wood

(photography) A series of aerial photographs taken during the flight of an aircraft; (by extension) a photography session.

A sortie of troops from a besieged place against an enemy.

(intransitive) To carry out a sortie; to sally.

A sudden rushing forth.

The sudden issuing of a body of troops, usually small, from a besieged place to attack or harass the besiegers; a sally.

(figuratively) A witty statement or quip, usually at the expense of one's interlocutor.

A military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position

An excursion or side trip.

(military) an operational flight by a single aircraft (as in a military operation)

A tufted woollen part of a bellrope, used to provide grip when ringing a bell.

A member of the Salvation Army.

A kind of stonefly.

A wren.

(intransitive) To make a sudden attack (e.g. on an enemy from a defended position).

(intransitive) To set out on an excursion; venture; depart (often followed by "forth.")

(intransitive) To venture off the beaten path.

To leap or rush out; to burst forth; to issue suddenly; as a body of troops from a fortified place to attack besiegers; to make a sally.

A leaping forth; a darting; a spring.

A rushing or bursting forth; a quick issue; a sudden eruption; specifically, an issuing of troops from a place besieged to attack the besiegers; a sortie.

An excursion from the usual track; range; digression; deviation.

A flight of fancy, liveliness, wit, or the like; a flashing forth of a quick and active mind.

Transgression of the limits of soberness or steadiness; act of levity; wild gayety; frolic; escapade.

Witty remark

A military action in which besieged troops burst forth from their position

A venture off the beaten path;