vanguard officer; pioneer; forerunner
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
military officer commanding the advance troops (in traditional operas and novels)
literaryOriginating from traditional Chinese opera and martial arts fiction (wuxia), referring to the officer who leads the vanguard.
In the novel, the vanguard officer rode a tall horse, walking majestically at the very front of the troops.
On ancient battlefields, the vanguard officer was responsible for reconnoitering enemy intelligence and clearing the path for the main army.
noun
vanguard; pioneer; leading force; forerunner
formalMetaphorical usage common in formal, political, and economic contexts, referring to something that leads or paves the way for others.
Transportation is the vanguard of the national economy.
Science and technology are the primary productive forces and the pioneer of economic development.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Education plays the role of a vanguard in the construction of modernization.