open the range

open the range (third-person singular simple present opens the range, present participle opening the range, simple past and past participle opened the range)

1. (military) To draw oneself or one's vehicles (warships, tanks, aircraft, etc.) out of range of the enemy's fire.

   Even after receiving the order to withdraw, the battle-cruiser squadron took several more hits before they managed to open the range.

   • 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 18:40 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?‎^[1], archived from the original on 3 November 2022:

     In the confusion, Johnston manages another about-face and heads away to open the range, with its torpedoes spent.

• close the range