But when the term was used for large military formations, it generally meant "detachment".

These formations would then be used as a shock force or the vanguard for a larger formation.

Most of these units were quickly amalgamated with larger formations.

To the east is Cayley, a slightly larger but very similar formation.

In non-Soviet ground forces the largest formation is the division (13 000 men).

Bernier thought the three were part of a larger formation.

The division was one of the largest formations on the western front.

We use single agents and pairs, but the next largest formation is six.

Small groups or individual units are deployed from a larger formation to achieve a specific objective and then return.

The quarry exposed a large volcanic formation between 200 and 250 million years old.