Dra*goon" (drȧ*g?n"), n. [F.
dragon dragon, dragoon, fr. L. draco dragon, also, a
cohort's standard (with a dragon on it). The name was given from the
sense standard. See Dragon.] 1.
((Mil.) Formerly, a soldier who was taught and armed to
serve either on horseback or on foot; now, a mounted soldier; a
cavalry man.
2. A variety of pigeon.
Clarke.
Dragoon bird (Zoöl.), the
umbrella bird.
Dra*goon", v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Dragooned (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Dragooning.] 1. To harass or reduce to
subjection by dragoons; to persecute by abandoning a place to the
rage of soldiers.
2. To compel submission by violent measures;
to harass; to persecute.
The colonies may be influenced to anything, but they
can be dragooned to nothing.
Price.
Lewis the Fourteenth is justly censured for trying to
dragoon his subjects to heaven.
Macaulay.