federals
- 1Plural of federal.
The federals raided the warehouse before dawn and seized the contraband.
During the war, the federals advanced steadily toward the river crossing.
Note
A regular -s plural that often works as a collective: the federals, a body of people acting for a central authority. In American use it can mean FBI agents. In historical writing about the American Civil War it means Union soldiers. It can also mean supporters of federation or members of a Federal Party. The surrounding scene, whether a dawn raid or a river crossing, usually tells the reader which group is meant.
federals is a form of federal
federal, noun: An agent employed by a federal government, working for the national level of authority rather than for a state, province, or city. Full entry
- Forms
- federalfederals plural
- Spelling
- federal → federals: add -s
- Sound
- The ending sounds like /z/.
Use it in a sentence
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