Barrack Hill

From barrack + hill.
* (Canada): From being a rise and promontory over the Ottawa River that hosted barracks of the military outpost.

(Canada, historical, military) A former military outpost in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.


Hitler's buzzsaw

en-noun

Hitler's buzzsaw (plural Hitler's buzzsaws)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Hitler's buzzsaw.wav

(military, World War II, slang) The MG 42 machine gun.


terrorbomb

en-verb

terrorbomb (third-person singular simple present terrorbombs, present participle terrorbombing, simple past and past participle terrorbombed)

terrorbombs (present singular third-person)
terrorbombing (participle present)
terrorbombed (participle past)
terrorbombed (past)
terror-bomb (alternative)
terror bomb (alternative)

(military) To bomb (chiefly civilian areas) with the intention of instilling terror and decreasing morale.


colonel general

en-noun

colonel general (plural colonel generals)

colonel generals (plural)
colonel-general (alternative)

(military) A general officer's rank in some nations' militaries, corresponding to the rank of either a lieutenant general or full general in the United States rank system.

գեներալ-գնդապետ

a general officer's rank in some nations' militaries


don't call me sir, I work for a living

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-don't call me sir, I work for a living.wav

(US, military, idiomatic, sometimes humorous) Used by senior enlisted military personnel to indicate that they are not commissioned officers.


Royal Marine

"She had asked at Paddington for a return to Lympstone on the Exmouth branch, where her son was due to pass out as a Royal Marine that afternoon, at the local training camp.
"Presumably, the booking clerk had misheard her and sold her a ticket to Leominster, and other helpful staff had unwittingly helped her on her way.

2022 July 13, “Stop & Examine”, in RAIL, number 961, page 71:

(military, British) A member of the Royal Marines.


rearguard action

rearguard action (plural rearguard actions)

(military) An offensive action by a rearguard.


BuWeaps

BUWEAPS (alternative)
Buweaps (alternative)

(US, military) Abbreviation of Bureau of Naval Weaponry. of the U.S. Navy


KLV

KLV (countable and uncountable, plural KLVs)

(military, automotive, countable) Abbreviation of key leader vehicle.


people's war

(military) A Maoist military strategy where the basic concept is to maintain the support of the population and draw the enemy deep into the countryside where the population will bleed them dry through a mix of mobile warfare and guerrilla warfare.


camouflage net

We have seen details of the types of work for which volunteers are sought, and these range from the manufacture of camouflage nets, on piece work in the Central London area, enabling approximately 6s. a shift of 4 hours to be earned, [...].

1943 March and April, “Spare Time War Work Scheme”, in Railway Magazine, page 65:

(military) Netting used to hide potential targets on the ground.


counterparry

(fencing) A parry that uses the energy of the opponent's incoming lunge.


counterparry

en-verb

counterparry (third-person singular simple present counterparries, present participle counterparrying, simple past and past participle counterparried)

counterparries (present singular third-person)
counterparrying (participle present)
counterparried (participle past)
counterparried (past)

(fencing) To parry using the energy of the opponent's incoming lunge.


high yo-yo

When you have the airspeed advantage, you can execute a high yo-yo for increased maneuverability in a turn fight while conserving your energy. Now who's laughing?

2021 March 19, Bosnian Ape Society, 5:13 from the start, in Is Your Car Safe From Supermaneuverable Air-Defense Fighter Aircraft?, archived from the original on 2022-08-07:

(aviation, military) A dogfighting maneuver used by a rapidly-closing attacker to avoid an overshoot during a turn, involving pulling up into a climb to exchange airspeed for altitude and allow the attacker to make a slower, tighter turn and drop back down behind the defender.


low yo-yo

(aviation, military) A dogfighting maneuver used to increase the closure rate of the attacker during a turn, involving the attacker temporarily giving up some altitude to simultaneously increase airspeed and allow them to turn more steeply, enabling the attacker to cut across the defender's turn and catch up with the defender.


sell dearly

sell dearly (third-person singular simple present sells dearly, present participle selling dearly, simple past and past participle sold dearly)

sells dearly (present singular third-person)
selling dearly (participle present)
sold dearly (participle past)
sold dearly (past)

Realizing he is now boxed in on all sides, Hipper decides the only remaining card he has to play is to sell his ships as dearly as possible. The remaining German ships make a hard turn southeast, and drive headlong at the Grand Fleet. It is a brave gesture, but only eight of the ships emerge from the pall of smoke that roughly marks the original German line of advance. Two more emerge minutes later, but that is all.

2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 24:24 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 2022-08-04:

(idiomatic, especially military, of a fighting person, unit, or vehicle) To make one's opponent pay a very high price to defeat or obtain (a person, unit, vehicle, or territory).


political commissar

en-noun

political commissar (plural political commissars)

(communism, military) A supervisory political officer responsible for ideological education and organization.


airgroup

(military) A unit or formation consisting of a number of air force squadrons.

The USS Manila Bay, in the next group south of Taffy 3, services aircraft from eleven different squadrons that aren't attached to her own flight group, and, at one point, has representatives from no less than four other carriers' airgroups on her flight deck at the same time.

2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 28:07 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 2022-11-03:

(military) The set of aircraft flying from a particular aircraft carrier.


roof knocking

(military) The practice of dropping a nonexplosive or low-yield device on a target around 10 to 15 minutes before a bombing in order to caution any civilians present to flee, so as to minimize civilian casualties.


vent-piece

(firearms) In a breechloading firearm, a vertical sliding block with a conical plug on its front surface to seal the firing chamber and close the breech.


rifle grenade

(military) A grenade (small explosive device) designed to be launched from the muzzle of an infantry soldier's rifle, using a rifle cartridge (usually a specially-designed blank cartridge, but occasionally a normal ball round) for propulsion.


demarcation line

demarcation line (plural demarcation lines)

(politics, military) A geopolitical border, often agreed upon as part of an armistice or ceasefire.


forward assist

(firearms) A button on certain rifles that pushes the bolt carrier forward, ensuring that the bolt is locked.


PHASR

From the fictional Star Trek weapon technology, the phaser.

Coordinate term: TASER

(weaponry) Acronym of personnel halting and stimulation response, a non-lethal laser weapon technology that causes temporary blindness.


turret farm

(military, nautical, informal) A battleship with an unusually-large number of main-battery turrets (generally five or more).

Turning to get a better bead on Princess Royal, the Prinzregent Luitpold catches a full salvo from HMS Agincourts massive turret farm' and vanishes in a roar of water and flame. Nothing is left once the smoke has cleared.

2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 24:07 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 2022-08-24:

[…] and back in World War I, obviously, you had a lot of ships that either had amidships turrets, like the Iron Dukes, or ships that had big turret farms on the back, like Agincourt or the Wyomings, and, at that point, getting those aft guns around is obviously significantly more important than a single triple or something like that is in World War II[…]

2020 October 18, Drachinifel, 1:04:14 from the start, in The Drydock - Episode 116, archived from the original on 2022-09-29:

The main battery carried by such a battleship, or the major portion thereof.


torpedo cruiser

torpedo cruiser (plural torpedo cruisers)

(military, nautical, chiefly historical) A large warship using torpedoes (the self-propelled naval weapons) as its primary armament.


torpedo ram

torpedo rams (plural)
torpedo-ram (alternative)

When his eyes were clear again, he saw the monster had passed and was rushing landward. Big iron upper-works rose out of this headlong structure, and from that twin funnels projected, and spat a smoking blast shot with fire into the air. It was the torpedo-ram, Thunder Child, steaming headlong, coming to the rescue of the threatened shipping.

1898, H.G. Wells, “The "Thunder Child."”, in The War of the Worlds, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, retrieved 2022-11-24, page 175:

(military, nautical, historical) A warship designed to sink enemy vessels using a combination of torpedo (self-propelled naval weapon) fire and ramming.


ROCS

Republic Of China
Republic of China#English

(military, nautical) Initialism of Republic Of China Ship, a warship of Taiwan, or pre-Chinese Civil War (1950) republican China (used as a ship prefix)


in country

I was in country for four very nervous days before being issued a rifle and basic gear - no ammunition yet though.

1992, Michael R. Conroy, Don't Tell America!:

(military, US) In combat in a foreign country, especially in Vietnam during the Vietnam War


HIJMS

Coordinate term: JS

(military, nautical) Initialism of His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Ship. Imperial Japanese Navy ship, informal ship prefix used for a warship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, usually in reference to the period from the Meiji Revolution to the Washington Naval Treaty.


HIGMS

(military, nautical) Initialism of His Imperial German Majesty's Ship.. A ship prefix for a ship of the Imperial German Navy (usually for prior to the dreadnought era, prior to the buildup to WWI)


HIRMS

Coordinate term: RFS

(military, nautical) Initialism of His Imperial Russian Majesty's Ship.. A ship prefix for ships of the Imperial Russian Navy


FNS

(nautical, military, exonym) Initialism of French Naval Ship. A ship prefix for ships of the navy of the Third Republic of France


supercruiser

supercruisers (plural)
super-cruiser (alternative)
super cruiser (alternative)

(military, nautical, obsolete) Synonym of battlecruiser


elephant walk

From elephant + walk. Coined in the United States Air Force during World War 2, in reference to the appearance of large numbers of taxiing heavy bombers.

(US, military aviation) The taxiing of multiple aircraft in close formation before a mass take-off.


heavy bomber

(military aviation) A large, long-range bomber, capable of carrying a heavy payload.


Schnellbomber

/ˈʃnɛlˌbɑmɚ/

Unadapted borrowing from German Schnellbomber, from schnell (“fast”) + Bomber (“bomber”).

ubor

(military aviation, historical) A type of German World War 2 bomber designed to outrun fighters as part of its defensive capability.


construction battalion

en-noun

construction battalion (plural construction battalions)

(military) A military battalion formally designated to engage in the construction of structures for military use.


bomb ship

(military, nautical, historical) A ship armed with high-angle mortars firing explosive or carcass shells, and specialized for shore bombardment.


ammunition bread

ammunition bread (plural ammunition breads)

(military) Bread which is prepared or used for the supply of armies and garrisons.


bounce rubble

en-verb

bounce rubble (third-person singular simple present bounces rubble, present participle bouncing rubble, simple past and past participle bounced rubble)

bounces rubble (present singular third-person)
bouncing rubble (participle present)
bounced rubble (participle past)
bounced rubble (past)
bounce the rubble (alternative)

(military, informal) To bomb a target that has already been severely bombed, so that little further damage is possible.


Andrew Miller

Sometimes said to originate from the name of an 18th-century Lieutenant named Andrew Millar, famed for impressing many people into naval service; however, there is no evidence such a person existed.

He wont do for Andrew Millar, for he's mair like unto a cuckoo clock-maker than a Jack tar.

1826, Matthew Henry Barker, Greenwich hospital, page 2:

Since those days I have met scores of men who have deserted from Her Majesty's Army and Navy, and every one of them, without exception, curses the day he left the service, or, as the seamen term it, ‘Andrew Miller’.

1906, W. H. Blake, The Adventures of a Naval Chief Gunner, page 5:

I'm not a flight sergeant, we don't have 'em in the Andrew Miller.

1984, Kenneth Poolman, Chanter R.N., page 151:

(chiefly UK, naval slang) The Royal Navy; service in the Navy.


Andrew Miller

Andrew Millers (plural)
Andrew Millar (alternative)

And what did you know, you bumpkin! before you came on board this Andrew Miller?

1850, Herman Melville, chapter IV, in White-Jacket, published 1850, page 24:

(chiefly UK, naval slang, obsolete) A warship.


motor torpedo boat

en-noun

motor torpedo boat (plural motor torpedo boats)

internal combustion engine
internal combustion engine

(military, nautical) A torpedo boat powered by an internal combustion engine rather than a steam engine.


large light cruiser

large light cruiser (plural large light cruisers)

From Admiral John Fisher's use of subterfuge to evade a Royal Navy moratorium on the construction of new capital ships by declaring ships of this type to be large versions of light cruisers.

(military, nautical, historical) A very large, fast warship with a relatively-shallow draft and minimal belt armor, carrying a relatively-small number of very heavy guns; sometimes classed as a type of battlecruiser.

Courageous-class battlecruiser
John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher


mule kick

professional wrestling
professional wrestling

(professional wrestling) A move by which the wrestler, facing away from a charging opponent, bends down and pushes out one foot, striking the opponent with the sole.


woordie major

woordie majors (plural)
wurdee major (alternative)

Uncertain. Yule states: "Both the rationale of the compound title, and the etymology of wardī, are obscure. Platts gives Hind. wardī or urdī, 'uniform of a soldier, badge or dress of office,' as the first part of the compound, with a questionable Skt. etymology, viruda, 'crying, proclaiming, a panegyric.' But there is also Ar. wird, 'a flight of birds,' and then also 'a troop or squadron,' which is perhaps as probable. Others, again, as many military titles have come from S. India, connect it with Can. varadi, 'news, an order.'"

(India, military, obsolete) A native adjutant in regiments of Indian irregular cavalry.


armed merchantman

armed merchantman (plural armed merchantmen)

(military, nautical) A warship converted from a merchant ship by the installation of weaponry, primarily for use in commerce raiding or defense against same.


Glock switch

(firearms) A device which modifies the firing system of a Glock-pattern pistol by bypassing the semiautomatic catch, which enables fully automatic fire.


auto sear

Coordinate term: bump stock

(firearms) A device which allows for a closed-bolt self-loading firearm to reliably function in fully automatic fire by preventing the hammer or striker from falling until the bolt is fully in battery.


oblique order

(military) A military tactic whereby an attacking army focuses its forces to attack a single enemy flank.


battlecarrier

The larger issue is why are you doing this? If you are going to have a battlecarrier that's acting as your combat air patrol provider, that would suggest that your own carriers either can't provide it, or, you need to load your fleet carriers with as many strike aircraft as possible to hit the enemy as hard as possible, which means you're offloading the fighter duties to another ship. Which then raises the question of why are you doing that, and the only real answer for why you would do that instead of having a dedicated battleship and a dedicated aircraft carrier or two is that you're horribly outnumbered and you're looking to eke every last margin out of your fleet. And if you're that desperate, you have much, much larger issues to address than could possibly ever be solved by a battlecarrier carrying a squadron or two of fighters.

2022 February 9, Drachinifel, 16:39 from the start, in Naval Engineering Disasters - How not to design a ship, archived from the original on 2022-09-25:

(military, nautical, historical) A hybrid between a battleship and an aircraft carrier, with both one or more heavy gun turrets and a large aircraft hangar and flight deck.


surgical strike

surgical strike (plural surgical strikes)

Kennedy at the time was greatly concerned over reports that the Chinese Communists were secretly conducting nuclear explosions at Lop Nor in Northwest China—a sure indication they were working on atomic weapons. This was the period when Moscow and Peking were still close to each other, otherwise it might have been possible for the United States to devise a way to neutralize Peking's nuclear potential at an early stage. At their meeting Kennedy asked Chen many questions about Lop Nor. Could he have been thinking of a preventive surgical strike?

1983, James C. H. Shen, “Rejoining the Government”, in Robert Myers, editor, The U.S. & Free China: How the U.S. Sold Out Its Ally, Washington, D.C.: Acropolis Books Ltd., →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 39:

Months later, Modi ordered a surgical strike on alleged insurgents inside Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, and vowed to isolate Islamabad diplomatically.

2017 August 10, Ashok Sharma, “AP Explains: 70 years of India-Pakistan tensions unresolved”, in AP News, archived from the original on 2022-10-02:

(military, weaponry) A military attack of closely-controlled scope on a highly specific target.


flash pan

flash pans (plural)
flashpan (alternative)

(firearms) A small receptacle for priming powder, found next to the touch hole on muzzleloading guns.


choke tube

(firearms) An internally tapering metal cylinder attached to the muzzle of a shotgun, designed to constrict the spreading pattern of the shot pellets.


FECOMZ

Forward Echelon, Communications Zone
w:FECOMZ

(military, historical) Abbreviation of Forward Echelon, Communications Zone.


battalion tactical group

battalion tactical group (plural battalion tactical groups)

(military) A military unit of the armed forces which incorporates multiple branches of the military within a single command structure (also known as combined arms).

(Russia, military) A combined arms military unit that is used for specific tasks and to achieve a discreet mission. Originated during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; also used significantly during the 2014 and 2022 Russian invasions of Ukraine.


kamikaze drone

This aircraft would essentially function as a kamikaze drone, crashing into its target and detonating its explosives upon impact, and did not appear to be much of a step up from the single-use drones Iran had years earlier.

2014, Peter Bergen, Daniel Rothenberg, editors, Drone Wars, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 302:

One such kamikaze drone is called the Switchblade; it was introduced by AeroVironment in 2012 and sold widely to the US military.

2020, Michael J. Boyle, The Drone Age: How Drone Technology Will Change War and Peace, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 138:

The Ukrainians themselves have been using kamikaze drones to strike against Russian targets – and asked their allies to supply them with more of these deadly weapons.

2022 October 17, Ivana Kottasová, “‘Kamikaze’ drones are the latest threat for Ukraine. Here’s what we know”, in CNN:

As we predicted at the time, a drone attack on Sevastopol's Black Sea Fleet headquarters over the summer proved an incredible harbinger of the war's next chapter. Ukraine has used improvised unmanned systems – primarily its so-called 'Alibaba drones' — to attack beyond its current territorial bounds and even into Russia proper. The introduction of unmanned drone ships configured as anti-ship weapons is an extension of these tactics. Russia's use en-masse of Iranian kamikaze drones against Ukrainian infrastructure in the last two months, as well as Ukraine increasing its own kamikaze drone operations in an attempt to strike back, has further evolved at least one major facet of conflict into a drone war of sorts.

2022 October 29, Howard Altman, Stetson Payne, Tyler Rogoway, “Ukraine Unleashes Mass Kamikaze Drone Boat Attack On Russia's Black Sea Fleet Headquarters”, in The Drive, retrieved 2022-11-14:

(military, informal) A drone vehicle that attacks targets by crashing into them and exploding.


bullumteer

From volunteer, as pronounced by sepoys.

The colonel now addressed me, […] adding, "I hope we shall send you to your regiment up the country quite a proficient, and calculated to reflect credit on your instructors in the Zubberdust Bullumteers."

1880, Francis John Bellew, Memoirs of a Griffin; Or, A Cadet's First Year in India, page 202:

We were all bullumteers on the Canal works.

1888, Rudyard Kipling, His Brother’s Keeper:

(India, military, slang, obsolete) A volunteer of certain regiments of the old Bengal Army.


AMRAAM

air-to-air missile
air-to-air missile#English

(military) Initialism of advanced medium-range air-to-air missile.


VFR direct

He went VFR direct to the general, and without having gotten his facts straight.

(US military, slang) Bypassing normal channels, particularly skipping intervening levels in the chain of command.


uncockable

(rail transport, firearms, rare) Not able to be cocked.


cockable

(rail transport, firearms, rare) Able to be cocked.


BZO

battlesight zero
battlesight zero#English

(military) Initialism of battlesight zero.


LPIR

low-probability-of-intercept radar
w:low-probability-of-intercept radar

(military) Initialism of low-probability-of-intercept radar.


AESA

active electronically scanned array
w:active electronically scanned array

(military) Initialism of active electronically scanned array.


PESA

passive electronically scanned array
w:passive electronically scanned array

(military) Initialism of passive electronically scanned array.


APAR

active phased array radar
w:active phased array radar

(military) Acronym of active phased array radar.


close the range

en-verb

close the range (third-person singular simple present closes the range, present participle closing the range, simple past and past participle closed the range)

closes the range (present singular third-person)
closing the range (participle present)
closed the range (participle past)
closed the range (past)

With reports of the Japanese forces bearing down on them confirmed, Rear Admiral Sprague orders his ships east, heading towards a series of rain squalls, hoping for concealment. This will hopefully delay the Japanese closing the range, and also draw them away from the much-more-vulnerable landing ships.

2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 10:57 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 2022-11-03:

(military) To move oneself or one's vehicle(s) (warships, tanks, aircraft, etc.) closer to the enemy in order to allow them to fire on the enemy, either more effectively or at all.


DPV

diver propulsion vehicle
w:diver propulsion vehicle

(nautical, underwater diving, military) Initialism of diver propulsion vehicle.


dragon's teeth

en-noun

dragon's teeth pl (normally plural, singular dragon's tooth)

Coordinate term: Czech hedgehog

Experiments showed that twenty-five to fifty pounds of explosives often was needed to break a single dragon's tooth, and large pillboxes required half a ton.

2013, Rick Atkinson, The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944–1945 (The Liberation Trilogy; 3), New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, page 251:

“Dragon’s teeth have likely been installed between Mariupol and Nikolske village; and from northern Mariupol to Staryi Krym village. […] Dragon’s teeth have additionally been sent for the preparation of defensive fortifications in occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson,” the intelligence assessment said.

2022 November 8, Peter Beaumont, “Russia installs ‘dragon’s teeth’ barriers to slow advance of Ukrainian forces”, in The Guardian:

(military) Square-pyramidal fortifications of reinforced concrete to impede the movement of tanks and mechanised infantry.

Drachenzähne

fortifications to impede the movement of tanks


Silver Cross

From silver + cross from the shape of the medal, being cross-shaped, and the colouration of the medal, being silvery.

(military) A high-level military service award.

Coordinate term: Gold Star (U.S.)

(Canada) A Canadian award for those who died in active service, such as in combat


alpha strike

But you did specify naval gunfire, and so at that point... yeah, I think Invincible is pretty much the one that takes the cake for "most devastating alpha strike". Everything else either took a lot longer to die, or had to be hit by a lot more shells before it went boom.

2021 March 28, Drachinifel, 2:27:18 from the start, in The Drydock - Episode 139, archived from the original on 2022-11-05:

(military) A sudden, massive, devastating concentration of fire upon a single opponent in order to immediately neutralize the opponent with overwhelming force.


terzetta

(firearms, historical) An old Italian flintlock pistol.


AEW&C

(US, aviation, military) Initialism of airborne early warning and control.


Bangalore torpedo

Bangalore torpedo (plural Bangalore torpedoes or Bangalore torpedos)

Bangalore torpedoes (plural)
Bangalore torpedos (plural)

From having been invented by a Royal Engineers captain while stationed in the city of Bangalore in 1912.

(military) A long pipe filled with explosive, which is pushed forwards along the ground and then detonated to clear a path through wire obstacles and minefields.


CADPAT

Canadian disruption pattern
Canadian disruption pattern#English

(Canada, military) Acronym of Canadian disruption pattern; The copyrighted digital pixelated squared camouflage pattern used by the Canadian Armed Forces first introduced early in the 21st-century, inspired by dual-tex and inspiring U.S. MARPAT that inspired U.S. UCP.


NASAMS

(military) Initialism of Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.


RML

rifled muzzleloader
w:rifled muzzleloader

(military) Initialism of rifled muzzleloader.


open city

“You needn’t worry about bombs, by the way. Dresden is an open city. It is undefended, and contains no war industries or troop concentrations of any importance.”

1969 March 31, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Slaughterhouse-Five […] (A Seymour Lawrence Book), New York, N.Y.: Delacorte Press, →OCLC, page 127:

(military, international law) A city which has announced (during wartime) that it has abandoned all defensive efforts, generally in the event of its imminent capture.

不設防城市 /不设防城市

city which has abandoned defensive efforts


en echelon

From French en échelon, literally in echelon.

(nautical, military, of wing-mounted gun turrets on a warship) Staggered; offset so that the wing turret on one side is mounted further forwards than the one on the opposite side.


infil

infil (countable and uncountable, plural infils)

Coordinate term: exfil

After all this information has been gained, the troops and teams start conducting rehearsals on hitting the target. What this means is that they will conduct Full Mission Profiles (FMP). This covers every aspect of the operation — the infil to the target, actions on the objective, and then exfil from the target location back to the staging area.

2019 November 22, Brian Gilly, “Gilly: When Army Special Operations gets ‘the call’ for battle”, in Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

(chiefly military) Clipping of infiltration (“the act of going into a place”).


private ship

(military, nautical) A warship that is not the flagship of a fleet or squadron.


HESH

(military) Initialism of high explosive squash head.; a munition which uses a plastic explosive warhead that squashes on impact before exploding, causing spalling on the interior of armor panels when exploding.


turn in succession

en-verb

turn in succession (third-person singular simple present turns in succession, present participle turning in succession, simple past and past participle turned in succession)

turns in succession (present singular third-person)
turning in succession (participle present)
turned in succession (participle past)
turned in succession (past)

(nautical, military, of ships in a line of battle) To change course one at a time in sequence, with all ships following the track of the leading ship as if on rails and turning at the same location, so as to preserve the layout of the battleline throughout the turn.


turn together

turn together (third-person singular simple present turns together, present participle turning together, simple past and past participle turned together)

turns together (present singular third-person)
turning together (participle present)
turned together (participle past)
turned together (past)

(nautical, military, of ships in a line of battle) To change course simultaneously, without waiting to reach the turning point of the leading ship.


ram bow

(nautical, chiefly military, historical) A bow that projects forwards below the waterline into a reinforced blade or point, used to sink other ships by ramming.


line abreast

en-noun

line abreast (usually uncountable, plural lines abreast)

No sooner has the fleet settled onto this course than a small group of Japanese cruisers and actual, real, live, all-singing, all-dancing, all-features-included, protected-by-the-Emperor torpedo boats begin to move to cross the T of the Russian fleet. Worried about a torpedo attack on his lead battleships and determined to sweep this small formation aside, Rozhestvensky orders his main ships into a line abreast, a far-more-potent display of force that allows every forward-pointing gun on his capital ships to bear at the same time. Falling out of line ahead into line abreast does require a bit of skill and some clever handling, but three of the four leading battleships execute it perfectly. Unfortunately, Alexander III gets it wrong, and turns the wrong way. Soon enough, the rest of the line is piling up in confusion as Rozhestvensky tries to decide whether burying his head in his hands, slamming it repeatedly into the nearest bulkhead, or screaming incoherently whilst hurling binoculars at every ship in sight is more becoming for a man of his position. Wearily, he cancels the order and orders the ships back into line-ahead formation instead.

2019 September 18, Drachinifel, 12:24 from the start, in Battle of Tsushima - When the 2nd Pacific Squadron thought it couldn't get any worse..., archived from the original on 2022-12-04:

(nautical, military) A type of warship formation with the ships proceeding side-by-side on parallel tracks.


line abreast

(nautical, military, aviation, of ships or aircraft) Arranged or proceeding side-by-side.


line ahead

line ahead (usually uncountable, plural lines ahead)

Unfortunately, the squadron was, in fact, quite a bit north by northeast of where they thought they actually were. The radiobeacon readings, as it turned out, had been correct. At about five o'clock in the afternoon, they'd adopted a line ahead formation, and, so, when the flagship made its turn to port at nine o'clock, the rest of the ships followed in an orderly queue. However, it was to be the third ship in line, USS Young, that would be the first casualty, as she tore open her hull on a submerged section of the shoal, capsizing to starboard, and taking twenty men with her, at four minutes past nine.

2019 November 20, Drachinifel, 8:10 from the start, in Honda Point Disaster - Taking a Wrong Turn at Albuquerque, archived from the original on 2022-12-14:

At about 0400 Nishimura's heavy ships joined up again with the Mogami group, and at about 0100 his force assumed its line formation for the approach to Leyte Gulf. In the lead were two destroyers. Four kilometers behind them were the two battleships and the cruiser Mogami in line ahead, with a destroyer on each flank. The last action between the motor-torpedo boats and the Japanese force ended at 0213 on 25 October. As the battle between Nishimura and the PT boats was ending the battle between his force and the American destroyers was beginning.

2024, Walter S. Zapotoczny, “The Battle of Surigao Strait: The Last Crossing of the T”, in Military History Online, archived from the original on 2024-05-23:

(nautical, military) A type of warship formation with the ships proceeding one after another and the trailing ships following behind the lead ship on the same path.


lazy dog bomb

From the airdropped ballistic projectile model "Lazy Dog", generalized to all steel airdropped kinetic bombardment ballistic projectiles.

kinetic bombardment
kinetic bombardment#English

ballistic projectile
ballistic projectile#English

(US, military) A fin-stabilized aerial-bomb-shaped solid-steel slug that is dropped from high altitude aircraft, to achieve kinetic bombardment of the targetted area below. This unpowered ballistic projectile contains no explosives and achieves its aims through kinetic energy strikes alone, typically striking at 500 mph.


ammunitional

[…] the manufacturer's potential liability in this type of situation have emphasized the highly dangerous nature of the product involved, such as ammunitional or inflammable substances.

1960, Louis R. Frumer, Melvin I. Friedman, Products Liability:

To assist action one must give ammunitional specifics to those about to fight.

1972, Carolyn Clugston Leopold, Carolyn Leopold Michaels, School Libraries Worth Their Keep: A Philosophy Plus Tricks, Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press:

(firearms) Of or relating to ammunition.


CMCA

cruise missile carrier aircraft
cruise missile carrier aircraft#English

(military, aviation) Initialism of cruise missile carrier aircraft. A cargoplane loaded with cruise missiles, that are dropped out the rear cargo door to launch while airborne


arsenal plane

(military, aviation) A cargoplane filled with munitions, that are deployed when airborne by dropping them out the rear door, and having the weapons perform any necessary targetting and maneuvering by themselves.


arsenal ship

(military, nautical) A ship, filled with missiles, typically cruise missiles, which it can launch to attack far off targets, but which has little in the way of other capabilities, similar to a modified cargoship. A floating missile battery, a floating missile firebase.


wild weasel

Genericization of the codename Wild Weasel of the first aircraft tasked with the anti-SAM role in the USAF during the Vietnam War. From the dancing of weasels in the wild and their behavior of hunting snakes, contrasted with the maneuvering of the wild weasel aircraft and their hunting of SAMs.

surface-to-air missile
surface-to-air missile

anti-radiation missile
anti-radiation missile

(US, military, aviation) An attack airplane specialized for attacking anti-aircraft defenses (AADs), typically surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites and radar control stations, typically with anti-radiation missiles (ARMs).


UOR

urgent operational requirement
urgent operational requirement#English

(military) Initialism of urgent operational requirement.


shoulder mark

(military) A flat cloth sleeve worn on the shoulder strap of a uniform, sometimes bearing rank or other insignia.


combat air patrol

combat air patrol (plural combat air patrols)

(military, aviation) A patrolling force of fighter aircraft tasked with covering and screening a friendly asset (such as an aircraft carrier or a flight of bombers) in order to defend it from incoming hostile aircraft.


air denial

(military, aviation) A situation in aerial warfare wherein one's air force is significantly outmatched in the air by an enemy air force, but is nevertheless able to contest control of the air and prevent the enemy from achieving air supremacy.

(military, aviation) The strategies used by the weaker air force in this situation.


cyclic rate

cyclic rate (countable and uncountable, plural cyclic rates)

(firearms) The rate at which an automatic firearm will fire if its firing mechanism is held down, causing the delay between successive shots to be the time needed for the firearm's action to cycle.


boxhead

(UK, military, slang, dated) A German person.


Washington cherry tree

Washington cherry tree (plural Washington cherry trees)

From having been "cut down by Washington", referencing the legendary tale of [George] Washington and the cherry tree.

(military, nautical, historical) A battleship or battlecruiser cancelled or downsized as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty.


battle map

battle maps (plural)
battlemap (alternative)

Inside a battle map hung on the wall, showing how the invaders had positioned themselves behind two dangerous obstacles, which they now intended to use as shields.

December 7 2022, Simon Shuster, “2022 Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelensky”, in Time:

(military) A map showing the location of a battle and the things needed to oversee the course of the battle, including positions of troops, armaments, battlements and trenches, supply lines, etc.


mark 1 eyeball

mark 1 eyeballs (plural)
mark one eyeball (alternative)
mark I eyeball (alternative)
mk 1 eyeball (alternative)
mk I eyeball (alternative)
mk. 1 eyeball (alternative)
mk. I eyeball (alternative)

In reference to mark 1; the designation commonly given to the first version of an invention, before the addition of any improvements or enhancements.

Don't worry, I'll use my trusty mark 1 eyeball here.


banzai charge

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-banzai charge.wav

From banzai + charge. "Banzai" from Japanese 天皇陛下万歳 (Tennō Heika banzai, “long live His Imperial Majesty”), a common battle cry used by Japanese soldiers.

der

(historical, military) A human-wave suicide attack performed by Japanese soldiers during World War II.


K-rat

(US, military, slang) Clipping of K-ration.


wind of a ball

(military, archaic) The condition where a round shot causes internal injury or concussion as it passes, without actually striking the victim.


box nasty

Coordinate term: bag nasty

(military slang) A packed lunch supplied in a box.


ICV

en-noun

ICV (countable and uncountable, plural ICVs)

(military) Initialism of infantry carrier vehicle.

(military) Initialism of infantry combat vehicle.


bringback

en-adj

bringback (comparative more bringback, superlative most bringback)

more bringback (comparative)
most bringback (superlative)

(military, aviation) Pertaining to return payload weight for aircraft from aircraft carriers.


Big E

(US, naval slang, historical) USS Enterprise (CV-6)

(US, naval slang, historical) USS Enterprise (CVN-65)


Eighth Route Army

(historical, military) a group army under the command of the Chinese Communist Party that fought the Japanese military and its puppet armies in both conventional and guerrilla warfare during the Second Sino-Japanese War.


mobik

mobiks (plural)
mobiki (plural)
mobnik (alternative nonstandard)

Borrowed from Russian мо́бик (móbik), from моб(илизо́ванный) (mob(ilizóvannyj), “mobilized”) + -ик (-ik, diminutive suffix).

af

мобилизо́ванный

моб(илизо́ванный)

"The video was posted on and being reposted by pro-Wagner channels, which matches Prigozhin's 'Fire Shojgu' narrative...Also some Wagner patches are visible on it. Nearly all 'poor mobiks' (mobilized men) on the video wear balaclavas," Krutov wrote.

2022 October 6, Isabel van Brugen, “Putin Has 'Lost Control' as Infighting Breaks Out Among Russia's Elite”, in Newsweek:

The Defense Ministry has pumped out a stream of videos showing happy "mobiks," as the recruits are known in Russian slang, learning to shoot, attack tanks, tie a tourniquet, plant a land mine and other military tasks.

2022 October 16, Neil MacFarquhar, “'Coffins Are Already Coming': The Toll of Russia's Chaotic Draft”, in The New York Times:

(informal, derogatory, Internet, neologism, military, sometimes humorous) A Russian conscript during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially a young man with little to no fighting experience.


trim party

(military slang) A prank in which a crowd of crewmembers move around a submarine to make it difficult to set the vessel's trim correctly.


cowboy load

cowboy action shooting
cowboy action shooting

(firearms) An underpowered load used in cowboy action shooting.


barracks bunny

en-noun

barracks bunny (plural barracks bunnies)

(military slang) A military servicewoman who sleeps with many other soldiers.


SOUTHCOM

(US, military) Acronym of Southern Command.


USSOUTHCOM

(US, military) Acronym of United States Southern Command.


musket ball

Archaeologists excavating the site of Coleshill Manor in Warwickshire have uncovered the foundations of a medieval gatehouse, on which are around 200 marks and indentations from pistol and musket balls. A further 40 musket balls were removed from nearby soil, where the moat would have been located.

2023 February 8, “HS2 archaeologists uncover evidence of early Civil War skirmish”, in RAIL, number 976, page 24:

(firearms, historical) A spherical projectile suitable for firing from a musket.


postattack blackmail

Coined by military strategist Herman Kahn.

(military) The situation in which one state uses nuclear weapons to attack another state's retaliatory forces, and then threatens to attack the cities next if the weakened victim state retaliates.


opticalman

(US, military, historical) A member of the navy who specialized in the use of optical tools.


dunnite

From Dunn + -ite, after U.S. Army major Beverly Dunn, who developed it.

(military, historical) Ammonium picrate, used as an explosive.


scope bite

(firearms) Injury during recoil as the scope hits one's face.


WOJG

(military) Initialism of warrant officer junior grade.


HAF

Hellenic Air Force
w:en:Hellenic Air Force

(military, aviation) Abbreviation of Hellenic Air Force. The air force of Greece

Honduran Air Force
w:en:Honduran Air Force

(military, aviation) Abbreviation of Honduran Air Force. The air force of Honduras

w:en:Headquarters, United States Air Force

(US, military, aviation) Abbreviation of Headquarters, Air Force. (United States Air Force Headquarters) The general staff bureau of the United States Air Force


mixed martial artist

mixed martial artist (plural mixed martial artists)

mixed martial arts
mixed martial arts#English

(sports, martial arts) A competitor in mixed martial arts


supertorpedo

supertorpedo (plural supertorpedos or supertorpedoes)

supertorpedos (plural)
supertorpedoes (plural)

More than the battleship, the cruiser is one of the principal agents of this work, and all friends of the navy will rejoice that twenty-three of the war-built vessels, many of them but fragile supertorpedo craft, are now to be replaced by up-to-date ships, better designed and equipped for service in the outer oceans.

1925, Gérard de Vaucouleurs, United States Naval Institute Proceedings 1925-10: Volume 51, Issue 10, United States Naval Institute, page 1975:

Hydrobomb tests are made in this 500-foot tank with underwater observation windows. The electric-powered tow car is lowered to the tracks at either side of the tank, completely straddling it when in operation. Still experimental, this plane-borne supertorpedo can carry a heavier charge twice as fast as current types[.]

1941, Hearst Magazines, Popular Mechanics, Hearst Magazines, page 85:

The same sort of weapon can be shot in missiles, used in mines, launched in supertorpedoes of long range, aimed at coastal cities from far at sea, etc., etc., ad nauseam.

1957, Philip Wylie, The Innocent Ambassadors, Rinehart, page 89:

Because the destroyer is generally considered the most versatile of modern naval vessels, it follows that dift'erent navies and commanders have held divergent views as to its proper role. No fleet commander has ever considered that he had enough destroyers; and yet, as is shown in the paragraphs which follow, destroyers have been in great demand for specialized activities such as antisubmarine warfare in all phases. The destroyer started as a supertorpedo boat, and the torpedo has remained one of its primary weapons, but the passing of the battle line has not decreased the demand for destroyers. Destroyers may be compared with the cavalry of a former day and the tanks of a modern army.

1966, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica: A New Survey of Universal Knowledge: Volume 7, Encyclopaedia Britannica, page 309:

They lose time when their small control ship is damaged, and the raider battleship runs afoul of an American naval vessel that is testing a new supertorpedo.

1990, Everett Franklin Bleiler, Science-Fiction, the Early Years, Kent State University Press, page 506:

(military) A particularly powerful torpedo.


ASuW

anti-surface warfare
anti-surface warfare#English

(military, nautical) Abbreviation of anti-surface warfare.


levy en masse

levies en masse (plural)
levée en masse (alternative)
levy in mass (alternative)

Partial calque of French levée en masse (literally “mass levy”).

partial calque

(military) A requisition of all able-bodied men for military service.


hot poop

Then the Seventh moved to Fort Ord and practiced—although without full equipment—amphibious landings. The hot poop of the rumor mongers became, “Southwest Pacific for us, fellows.” But when the convoy sailed from San Francisco on April twenty-fourth, the ships turned north.

1947, Murray Morgan, Bridge To Russia: Those Amazing Aleutians, New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, page 161:

Maybe Colonel Fang's going to give us the hot poop regarding this midnight mission.

1986, United States. Air Force. Military Airlift Command, The MAC Flyer, volume 33, page 22:

(US, military, slang) The latest news or gossip.


slingload

slingloads (plural)
sling load (alternative)

(military) A load suspended from an aircraft, usually a helicopter, and carried to a new location.


cut slingload

en-verb

cut slingload (third-person singular simple present cuts slingload, present participle cutting slingload, simple past and past participle cut slingload)

cuts slingload (present singular third-person)
cutting slingload (participle present)
cut slingload (participle past)
cut slingload (past)
cut sling load (alternative)

(military, literal) To release a slingload by severing the sling.


lumpy jumper

Alluding to the shape of a woman's breasts visible through clothing.

One of the cooks was a lumpy jumper (female soldier) who looked at home, her male colleague standing by her side seemed to be the more industrious […]

Pete MC Hough, Stabs: Raw Recruits (page 45)

"Don't take it personally, Gillian, dear, but for me, WAAFs are a bit, well, stodgy. You know the men call them 'lumpy jumpers,' don't you? The German women, well...All their men are gone, so they're hungry for male attention. This one works in the canteen and has a nicer figure than the bony ones you see in Berlin."

'Good grief,' a man's voice brayed as Teddy pushed open the door, 'a lumpy-jumper!' […] Teddy dumped her flying kit on a nearby chair and introduced herself.

2021, Robert Webber, Teddy's War, page 59:

(military slang) A woman; a female member of the military.


Regio Esercito

Unadapted borrowing from Italian Regio Esercito (Royal Italian Army).

unadapted borrowing

The popularity of the Regio Esercito was also enhanced by bringing an effective health service system to the region.

2015 December 30, Emanuele Sica, Mussolini's Army in the French Riviera: Italy's Occupation of France, University of Illinois Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, page 71:

(history, military) The Kingdom of Italy’s army.


battleskies

Because military planes are worth more than their weight in gold when they're badly needed — and such is usually the case in the battleskies of the world today — Uncle Sam has developed the world's best masters of improvisation in his globe-covering Army Air Forces Air Service Command, the outfit that literally "keeps 'em flying."

1944, The Curtiss Flyleaf, volumes 27-28, page 3:

War Production Board poster
Production is your Protection - Back Up Our Battleskies!

(military) The portions of airspace in which a military conflict is taking place.


antimechanized

(military) Countering mechanized fighting vehicles such as tanks.


torpedo-boat destroyer

en-noun

torpedo-boat destroyer (plural torpedo-boat destroyers)

torpedo-boat destroyers (plural)
torpedo boat destroyer (alternative)

From torpedo boat + destroyer. From being a type of combatant originally specialized to counter the newly introduced torpedo boat.

(historical, nautical, military) Former name of destroyer.


torpedo boat destroyer

torpedo boat destroyer (plural torpedo boat destroyers)

torpedo-boat destroyer
torpedo-boat destroyer#English

(historical, nautical, military) Alternative form of torpedo-boat destroyer


cyber transport systems

cyber transport systems pl (plural only)

(US, military, electronics) Synonym of computer networking


cyber transport system

cyber transport system (plural cyber transport systems)

(US, military, electronics) Synonym of computer network


full screw

Coordinate term: lance-jack

It was especially important when I was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant, with all its additional responsibilities. I'd loved being a fullscrew – a corporal – because I was still one of the lads and didn’t have too much else to think about.

2016, Chris Graham, Five Minutes of Amazing: My Journey Through Dementia, London: Sphere, →ISBN, page 111:


BAOR

British Army of the Rhine
w:British Army of the Rhine

(military, historical) Initialism of British Army of the Rhine.


Ali Baba bag

A reference to the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, in which the thieves hide in large oil jars; perhaps based on the idea that the bag is large enough to fit a person. Compare senses of Ali Baba related to large containers.

Each enlistee leaves.. with items packed into a duffel bag more commonly known as the ‘Ali-Baba’ bag.

2015, Martin Choo, editor, The Singapore Armed Forces, 1981, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English:

To the young recruit who is already carrying a civilian bag packed with his belongings and spare civilian clothing, the Ali Baba bag is a man-size load.

2015, Mickey Chiang, Fighting Fit: The Singapore Armed Forces, 1990, quoted in Jack Tsen-Ta Lee, A Dictionary of Singlish and Singapore English:

Upon completion, you can redeem a mini Ali Baba bag! My goodness, I’ve been waiting for so many years to get rid of that bag, and now my wife and kids are trying to get a few more Ali Baba bags….

2007 May 21, laokokok, “BMT to ROD”, in Times of My Life, retrieved 2023-04-16:

(Singapore military slang) A soldier's duffel bag.


cyber transport

(US, military, electronics) Synonym of networked (“computer networked”); pertaining to computer networks and computer networking


panic party

(nautical, military) A group of sailors given the task of pretending to abandon ship, so as to encourage a submarine to approach so that it can be attacked.


Pedersen device

Pedersen device (plural Pedersen devices)

Developed by John Pedersen (arms designer).

(firearms) An experimental weapon attachment for the M1903 Springfield bolt action rifle that allowed it to fire a .30 caliber (7.62 mm) pistol-type cartridge in semi-automatic mode.


PLAAF

People's Liberation Army Air Force
w:en:People's Liberation Army Air Force

People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China#English

(aviation, military) Abbreviation of People's Liberation Army Air Force. The national air force of the People's Republic of China.


Black Tulip

Black Tulips (plural)
black tulip (alternative)

black+tulip. Calque of Russian Чёрный тюльпан (Čórnyj tjulʹpan). From the use of the aircraft as a means to repatriate corpses of fallen soldiers. From the use of black tulips and other flowers to border obituaries. Originating as a nickname used by Soviet aircrews of the repatriation transport missions during the Afghan War, and popularized by Alexander Rezenbaum in a popular Soviet song, before migrating into English.

calque

Чёрный тюльпан

(military, aviation) Synonym of Antonov An-12 (“Soviet-era turboprop cargoplane”)


KMAG

(US, military, slang) Abbreviation of kiss my ass guys/goodbye.


JWICS

(US, military, espionage) Acronym of Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System.


overhook

He used overhooks to block the punches, but he didn't seem to know any submissions off the overhooks.

2005, Eddie Bravo, Jiu-jitsu Unleashed, page 12:

(wrestling, martial arts) A clinch hold performed by putting an arm over the opponent's arm, and encircling the opponent's arm or upper body.


overhook

en-verb

overhook (third-person singular simple present overhooks, present participle overhooking, simple past and past participle overhooked)

overhooks (present singular third-person)
overhooking (participle present)
overhooked (participle past)
overhooked (past)

Overhook one of his arms just above the elbow (here the right arm overhooks the opponent's left arm).

2004, Mark Hatmaker, No Holds Barred Fighting: Savage Strikes, page 128:

(wrestling, martial arts, transitive) To use such a hold upon.


baka bomb

(military, slang, historical) The Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka, a rocket-powered, human-guided kamikaze attack aircraft employed by Japan against Allied ships towards the end of the Pacific War.


morning report

(US, military, historical) A document produced every morning for every basic unit of the United States army, detailing personnel changes for the previous day.


drum magazine

(firearms) A high-capacity cylindrical magazine for firearms, storing rounds of ammunition in a central spiral.


enzuigiri

(wrestling) An attack that strikes the back of the opponent's head.


war elephant

During the Second Punic War, 218-201 BCE, Hannibal trekked 37 war elephants across the Alps from what is now Spain into Italy.

2018, Tim Flannery, Europe: A Natural History, page 273:

(military, historical) Any elephant trained and guided by humans for combat.


standing eight

(boxing) An eight-second count called by the referee during a match, to determine whether one of the boxers is fit to continue.


chiefie

And did you know the Chiefie said that one of our kites went in the drink last night?

Avoiding the Taceval man's gaze the 'chiefie' winked and pulled a face.

2017, Richard Pike, Phantom Boys, volume 2:


fly baker

fly baker (third-person singular simple present flies baker, present participle flying baker, simple past flew baker, past participle flown baker)

flies baker (present singular third-person)
flying baker (participle present)
flew baker (past)
flown baker (participle past)

A reference to a red danger flag used in an early phonetic alphabet.


hittile

A play on missile with miss changed to hit.

The U.S. anti-satellite programme is currently based on a three-stage non-exploding rocket or 'hittile' launched from an F-15 fighter.

1983, Andrew Wilson, The Disarmer's Handbook of Military Technology and Organization, page 83:

Rapier is a hittile and so has a simple blast warhead of under 1 kg weight.

1998, R. Geoffrey Lee, Guided Weapons, page 222:

(military, informal) An anti-aircraft or anti-satellite missile that is designed to hit its target, distinguished from a missile that is designed to explode near its target.


Maggie's drawers

(military, slang) A red flag used on a firing range to indicate that a shot entirely missed the target.


DOPE

DOPEs (plural)
D.O.P.E. (alternative)
D. O. P. E. (alternative)

(military) Acronym of data on previous engagement.


FLOT

(US, military) forward line of own troops, front line


FLET

(US, military) forward line of enemy troops, front line


air staff

(military, aviation) The chief commander, flag officers, and bureau in charge of a military's air branch. The headqaurters general staff of an air force.


run point

run point (third-person singular simple present runs point, present participle running point, simple past ran point, past participle run point)

runs point (present singular third-person)
running point (participle present)
ran point (past)
run point (participle past)

John hustled to the front and ran point. Three armed Hezbollah men appeared from the barracks to their right. John stopped, planted his feet, and fired from the standing position: pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop.

2013, Howard E[ugene] Wasdin, Stephen Templin, Easy Day for the Dead: A SEAL Team Six Outcasts Novel, New York, N.Y. […]: Gallery Books, →ISBN, page 194:

(military) Synonym of take point (“to assume the first and most exposed position in a formation”).


IAZ

(military, historical) Initialism of Inner Artillery Zone.


ret'd

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau, right, chats with Lt. General (ret'd) Andrew Leslie following Leslie's speech on day two of the Liberal Party of Canada's biennial convention in Montreal.

2014 September 5, Joan Bryden, “'Nixonian' Tory entrapment tactics blasted by Liberals”, in CBC News, archived from the original on 2022-08-12:

(especially military) Abbreviation of retired.


butterfly bomb

From the shape of the bomb when its cylindrical outer shell was hinged open.

(military, historical) A German two-kilogram antipersonnel submunition used by the Luftwaffe.


camouflage discipline

(military) The practice of careful movement etc. so as to maintain camouflage.


(US, military, nautical, journalism) Abbreviation of journalist, petty officer, first class. A journalist of the U.S. Navy holding the rating of first class petty officer, the highest class of regular petty officer.


BATUS

British Army Training Unit Suffield
w:British Army Training Unit Suffield

(military) Initialism of British Army Training Unit Suffield.


operational encirclement

en-noun

operational encirclement (countable and uncountable, plural operational encirclements)

Chiefly from calque of Russian оперативное окружение (operativnoje okruženije). In frequent use since the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war, but already before most usage seems to have been in reference to Russia and the Soviet Union.

cal

оперативное окружение

(military) a situation of (partial) encirclement where the besieged forces are not yet in imminent danger of destruction or capture, but are unable to organize adequate defence for a longer period of time, especially in such a way that there remains a connection to the rear, which the enemy however can cover with precise artillery fire, severely hampering supply


tree cancer

(military, slang) A visible bump beside a tree giving away the presence of a hidden sniper.


tommy gunner

We followed some minutes later in the same formation, but with a much reinforced armed guard; in my carriage there were two tommy-gunners and two riflemen, though, after they had been persuaded to put their weapons in the rack, we all felt better.

1949 March and April, P. C. Allen, “Journey to Corinth”, in Railway Magazine, page 116:


A-ration

(US, military) A military ration consisting of fresh, refrigerated, or frozen foods.


Granby roll

Named for Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, where it was popularized by coach Billy Martin, Sr.

(wrestling) A reversal performed from an inferior position, usually when the top wrestler has a hold upon the lower wrestler's waist from the side or when moving to "take the back". The bottom wrestler rises slightly and cross-steps under his own body, using it to post as they kick high with the other leg and perform a shoulder roll to the inside shoulder, achieving either an escape or a reversal with possible back points on the other wrestler.


fisherman buster

en-noun

fisherman buster (plural fisherman busters)

(wrestling) A variation of the brainbuster in which the wrestler hooks the opponent's leg to lift them off the ground, and then performs a fisherman's suplex.


baffle painting

(military, dated) Paintwork used as camouflage.


SNLR

(military) Initialism of services no longer required.


IPW

IPW (countable and uncountable, plural IPWs)

(military) Initialism of interrogation of prisoner of war.


blue discharge

(US, military, historical) A form of administrative military discharge formerly issued by the United States, neither honorable nor dishonorable.


blue ticket

(US, military, historical) Synonym of blue discharge


Chicago piano

Thompson submachine gun
Thompson submachine gun

(slang, weaponry) The Thompson submachine gun.

(slang, military, weaponry) A 1.1-inch anti-aircraft gun.

(slang, military, weaponry) A multiple 2-pounder gun pom pom anti-aircraft gun.


sticky bomb

(military, historical) A British hand grenade of World War II, consisting of a glass sphere containing a nitroglycerine-based explosive, designed to stick to enemy tanks.


baggage train

(military) the logistical transport accompanying a military force


MICLIC

Alternative form: MCLC

mine-clearing line charge
w:mine-clearing line charge

(military) Acronym of mine-clearing line charge.


From the 11 basic information recorded on the identity card carried by Singaporeans in National Service.

NSmen just have to present their SAF Identity Card (commonly known as 11B), or don their uniforms at stores displaying the "We Support NS" decal.

2019 June 29, “Fact Sheet: "We Support NS" 2019”, in Ministry of Defence:

“This won’t happen to us,” I thought to myself. We have red passports and I have a 11B.

2021 May 15, “Let’s Talk About The CECA Racism & Xenophobia”, in Kopi:

Currently, upon enlistment in the SAF for national service, NSFs are required to exchange their civilian IC for a military IC, also known as the 11B.

2022 May 9, “NSFs, regulars no longer need to surrender civilian ICs when enlisting”, in Straits Times:

(Singapore military slang) A national serviceman's identity card, as opposed to the civilian identity card.


national serviceman

national serviceman (plural national servicemen)

national servicemen (plural)
NSman (alternative)


NSman

national serviceman
national serviceman#English

(Singapore, military) Abbreviation of national serviceman.


NSWDG

w:Naval Special Warfare Development Group

(US military) Initialism of Naval Special Warfare Development Group.


Palliser shot

(military, historical) A type of early cast-iron armour-piercing artillery projectile, with a pointed nose hardened by chilling during the casting process.


general quarters

(military, US) A maximum alert level issued on a warship for all personal to prepare for immediate combat; the state of a warship at maximum combat readiness


MOPP

Mission Oriented Protective Posture
w:MOPP (protective gear)

(military) Acronym of Mission Oriented Protective Posture.


Slasher

(UK, military, historical, slang) A member of the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot.


international salute

international salute (plural international salutes)

(military, nautical) A salute of 21 guns as a sign of respect to another country's flag.


KRs

(UK, military) Abbreviation of King's Regulations.


HEI

HEI (countable and uncountable, plural HEIs)

high-explosive incendiary
w:high-explosive incendiary

(military) Initialism of high-explosive incendiary.


HAA

(military) Initialism of heavy anti-aircraft.


swamp angel

On the 17th, the Parrot ^([sic]) "swamp angels" were moved to a position nearer Coosawhatchie bridge, […]

1873, Henry Hall, James Hall, Cayuga in the Field, page 218:

The two story brick house lay in ruins but had been fortified with Parrot rifles or 'swamp angels' that spewed forth their eight inch shot and shell at the Union lines, one thousand yards due east of it.

2009, S. A. Carter, The Dark Side of the Mountain, page 372:

(US, military, slang, historical) A Parrott rifle.


angel shot

angel shot (countable and uncountable, plural angel shots)


HHD

HHD (countable and uncountable, plural HHDs)

(military) Initialism of headquarters and headquarters company.


cope cage

Coined in 2022 to refer to the structures placed on Russian tank turrets during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The word cope is used mockingly (referring to the slang meaning of cope: "delusion, coping mechanism"), as the cages were perceived to be ineffective against much of the weaponry used by the Ukrainian forces, such as Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The nickname is “the cope cage,” to allow the crew to cope with the Javelins. And they’re about as effective as wearing a cloth mask to stop the spread of COVID.

The Challenger tanks have been reinforced with "cope cages" — self-installed turret-mounted cages to safeguard the vehicles from drone strikes.

The most recent photo of a Ukrainian Challenger 2 to appear online depicts the tank with a turret-mounted cage that the crew clearly hopes will help to protect the vehicle from drone strikes. These “cope cages” are a battlefield expedient that brigades tend to install on their own as they’re getting ready to enter combat.

loitering munition
loitering munition#English

(slang, derogatory, military) An improvised kit of slat armor (a cage-like defensive structure placed upon an armoured vehicle, as (supposed) protection against explosive devices or loitering munitions).


Defence Forces

(military, Ireland) The armed forces of the Republic of Ireland.


RWI

rotary-wing intercept
rotary-wing intercept#English

(law enforcement, military) Initialism of rotary-wing intercept.


plebeskin

(US, slang, military, dated) Any of various clothing items (blouse, overcoat or trousers) issued to a new cadet at a military academy.


green girl

Several decades ago […] , cadets would pack picnics and their "green girls" in typewriter cases for a private dinner with a favorite female friend.

2007, Maureen Oehler DuRant, Peter E. Carroll, West Point (page 92)

(US, military, slang) The green sleeping-blanket issued to cadets at a military academy.


IOCT

(US, military) Initialism of indoor obstacle course test.


Cullum number

Introduced by brevet Major General George W. Cullum in the mid-19th century.

(US, military) A reference and identification number assigned to each West Point graduate.


harrier carrier

harrier carrier (plural harrier carriers)

Blend of harrier + aircraft carrier. From the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier GR.1/2/3 & AV-8A and the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, the Harrier jump jet named after the harrier bird.

aircraft carrier
aircraft carrier#English

(nautical, military, aviation, slang) A small light fast aircraft carrier specialized in operating VTOL aircraft, used for controlling sea lanes, convoy escort, and anti-submarine patrol (ASW).

en:Hawker-Siddeley Harrier
en:McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II


lightning carrier

lightning carrier (plural lightning carriers)

Blend of lightning + aircraft carrier. From the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, the Lightning II jump jet, itself named after WWII Lockheed P-38 Lightning I, in turn, named after the lightning bolt and lightning.

(nautical, military, aviation, slang) A small light fast aircraft carrier specialized in operating VTOL aircraft, used for controlling sea lanes, convoy escort, and, anti-submarine patrol (ASW)

en:Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
en:Lockheed P-38 Lightning


outfighter

The longer, more bladed stance is a more mobile in-and-out platform. Any traditional outfighter in boxing that you study will use a long, bladed stance like a fencer at least while they are working on the outside.

2018 September 27, Jack Slack, “Koreshkov Vs. Lima III is the Sleeper Fight of the Weekend”, in VICE, archived from the original on 2023-09-09:

(boxing) A boxer who tends to keep a relatively large distance from their opponent.


black site

Noting the dearth of serious research on black sites, Paglen endeavored to produce a book that would reveal “how the United States has become dependent on spaces created through secrecy, spaces that lie outside the rule of law, outside the Constitution, outside the democratic ideal of equal rights, transparent government, and informed consent.”

2020, Asbjørn Skarsvåg Grønstad, quoting Trevor Paglen, Rethinking Art and Visual Culture: The Poetics of Opacity, Springer Nature, →ISBN, page 136:

(military) A location at which an unacknowledged black operation or black project is conducted.


HMPS

HMPS (usually uncountable, plural HMPSs or HMPSes)

(Pakistan, nautical, military, historical) Abbreviation of His/Her Majesty's Pakistani Ship. of the 1947-1957 Royal Pakistani Navy


R-Day

Coordinate term: A-Day

(US, military) Reception Day at West Point, when new cadets arrive at the academy.


A-Day

Coordinate term: R-Day

(US, military) Acceptance Day at West Point, when cadets complete their basic training.


technical sergeant

technical sergeant (plural technical sergeants)

non-commissioned officer
non-commissioned officer

(Philippines) A non-commissioned officer ranking above staff sergeant and below master sergeant.

(US) Various current and former ranks. See Wikipedia for details.


snubnosed revolver

snubnosed revolver (plural snubnosed revolvers)

(firearms) A small, medium, or large frame revolver with a short barrel, generally less than four inches in length.


amphib

(military, informal) A member of an amphibious force.


limited hangout

limited hangout (plural limited hangouts)

(politics, espionage) The practice of revealing only part of the truth about a situation, as damage control when a cover story can no longer be used.


SIFT

(US, military) Initialism of Selection Instrument Flight Training.


take on strength

en-verb

take on strength (third-person singular simple present takes on strength, present participle taking on strength, simple past took on strength, past participle taken on strength)

takes on strength (present singular third-person)
taking on strength (participle present)
took on strength (past)
taken on strength (participle past)

From take on (“enlist”) + strength (“armed forces”).

com

Alternative form: (past participle) TOS

Taken on strength, 7th Light Horse, 6th April 1915.

To assist him in the task of organizing his unit, Lieutenant-Colonel O'Driscoll took on strength a nucleus of officers and N.C.O.'s who had served in the Newfoundland Militia or the Royal Artillery during the Second World War.

1964, G. W. L. Nicholson, The Fighting Newfoundlander, 2006 edition, page 521:

(ambitransitive, Commonwealth, military, historical) To commission a soldier, animal or vehicle into the service of the armed forces.


strike off strength

en-verb

strike off strength (third-person singular simple present strikes off strength, present participle striking off strength, simple past struck off strength, past participle struck off strength or stricken off strength)

strikes off strength (present singular third-person)
striking off strength (participle present)
struck off strength (past)
struck off strength (participle past)
stricken off strength (participle past)

From strike off (“remove from”) + strength (“armed forces”).

com

Alternative form: (past participle) SOS

Struck off strength three horses after 10 months' service.

Has the minister received communications asking him to reconsider his decision to strike off strength the only highland regiment in the Canadian army, the Black Watch, and has he made any further decision in this regard?

1969 October 31, Russell MacEwan, “Striking off strength of Black Watch—Request for Reconsideration”, in House of Commons Debates, 28th Parliament, 2nd Session, volume 1, Canada, pages 355–6:

(ambitransitive, Commonwealth, military, historical) To discharge or decommission a soldier, animal or vehicle out of the service of the armed forces.


trainasium

Blend of training + gymnasium or similar.

(military) An assault course raised some height above the ground, used for training paratroopers.


back-class

en-verb

back-class (third-person singular simple present back-classes, present participle back-classing, simple past and past participle back-classed)

back-classes (present singular third-person)
back-classing (participle present)
back-classed (participle past)
back-classed (past)

(UK, military) To retake a failed part of training.


infanteering

(UK, Canada, military) The role of being an infantry soldier.


burger burn

(ham)burger + burn (in the sense of overcooking)

The proceeds from the Burger Burn – $363, directly benefited the Nightingale House here on WPAFB.

1998 January 27, Buckeye Flyer, volume 38, page 4:

A column on the website We Are The Mighty titled "32 Terms Only Airmen Will Understand" in February, for example, defined the whole airman concept as "An enlisted performance review system designed to keep you from earning a perfect rating (and ultimately a BTZ promotion) despite being the best performer in your unit at your actual job function, because you didn't volunteer to pick up trash at the squadron commander's mandatory fun burger burn."

2015 June 22, Stephen Losey, “Kelly: Volunteering won't help you get promoted anymore”, in Air Force Times:

(military) An event where hamburgers are grilled and served, often as a fundraiser or team-building exercise.


field cornet

(South Africa, historical, military) The holder of a military rank equivalent to that of a lieutenant in the Boer armies as well as in the South African Army between 1960 and 1968.


BWIR

British West Indies Regiment
w:British West Indies Regiment

(historical, military) Initialism of British West Indies Regiment.


ROCAF

Republic of China Air Force
w:Republic of China Air Force

(Taiwan, military, aviation) Acronym of Republic of China Air Force

Republic of China Armed Forces
w:Republic of China Armed Forces

(Taiwan, military) Acronym of Republic of China Armed Forces.


JMSDF

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
w:Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

(military) Initialism of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.


JASDF

Japan Air Self-Defense Force
w:Japan Air Self-Defense Force

(military) Initialism of Japan Air Self-Defense Force.


JGSDF

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
w:Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

(military) Initialism of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.


airman first class

en-noun

airman first class (plural airmen first class)

(US, military) A holder of the third enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, just above airman and below senior airman.


Davy Crockett

Named after American folk hero, soldier, and congressman Davy Crockett (1786–1836).

named-after

[…] the leaf blower? Like the Davy Crockett, it is something that should have never been invented.

2016, William Gurstelle, Ready the Cannons!: Build Wiffle Ball Launchers, Beverage Bottle Bazookas, Hydro Swivel Guns, and Other Artisanal Artillery, Chicago Review Press, →ISBN:

More than 2,100 Davy Crocketts were produced. They were withdrawn from West Germany in August 1967, although they remained in the U.S. military inventory until 1971.

2020, Spencer C. Tucker, editor, Weapons and Warfare, Bloomsbury, →ISBN, page 512:

(historical, military) A tactical nuclear smoothbore gun for firing nuclear projectiles.


swine's feather

(military, historical) A musket rest with a spike on it, usable as a spear-like weapon.


sea soldier

(military, nautical, archaic) A marine (soldier serving at sea).


field colours

(military, historical) Small flags used to mark the position for companies and regiments.

(military, historical) Any regimental headquarters' flags.


in battery

(firearms) Of a firearm, in the firing position after recovery from the recoil of a previous discharge.


WTFU

(military slang, Internet slang, text messaging, vulgar) Initialism of wake the fuck up.


Siegfried Line

(historical, military) A German defensive line built in the 1930s opposite the French Maginot Line.


Special Air Service

(British, Australia, New Zealand, military) An elite unit of the British army. Similar units operate in the Australian and New Zealand armies.


general-in-chief

(military) A military rank or title in various armed forces.


honorable discharge

en-noun

honorable discharge (plural honorable discharges)

Coordinate term: dishonorable discharge

(military) Release from military service with a favorable record or conduct.


dishonorably discharged

en-adj

dishonorably discharged (not comparable)

(military) Released from military service because of conduct that is considered reprehensible.


honorably discharged

(military) Released from military service with a favorable record or conduct.


pumpgun

(firearms, informal) A pump-action firearm.


naval crown

(historical, military) A gold crown surmounted with small replicas of the prows of ships, given as a military award in Ancient Rome to the first man who boarded an enemy ship during a naval engagement.


beachmaster

Each boat, on landing the force, to be supplied with the number of boatkeepers assigned to it, and to be under the orders of the beachmaster, to whom the names of the boatkeepers are to be given; and the beachmaster will take particular care that the boats are kept afloat, and properly arranged, and that on passing and repassing between the ships and the shore, due arrangement is observed, and the duty performed with the utmost alacrity.

1846, Vol. 1846: Bulletins of state intelligence:

Lieutenant Rhodes, Washington, take charge transportation of Landing Force to beach ; assume duties of Beachmaster ; return boats, less armed launches, to ship when landing is completed.

1879, United States Naval Institute, Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute, →OCLC:

(military) An officer who supervises soldiers' disembarkation.


fall of shot

(military) The pattern and location of impacts of projectiles fired from a weapon system.


walk one's shots

en-verb

walk one's shots (third-person singular simple present walks one's shots, present participle walking one's shots, simple past and past participle walked one's shots)

walks one's shots (present singular third-person)
walking one's shots (participle present)
walked one's shots (participle past)
walked one's shots (past)

"I analyzed their firing patterns when they were walking their shots across the Milky Way. They only hit annie plants whose precise positions could be predicted at least twenty seconds in advance."

2019 July 17, Howard Tayler, Schlock Mercenary, archived from the original on 2023-12-23:

(military) To repeatedly observe the fall of shot of one's weapon and use this data to adjust one's aim until one hits one's target.


From the name of a similar-looking robot character in the film Star Wars.

(military, slang) The Phalanx CIWS, an automated gun-based close-in weapon system to defend military watercraft against incoming threats such as aircraft, missiles, and small boats.


RRC

Regimental Reconnaissance Company
w:Regimental Reconnaissance Company

(military) Initialism of Regimental Reconnaissance Company.

Royal Regiment of Canada
w:Royal Regiment of Canada

(military) Initialism of Royal Regiment of Canada.

Royal Rifles of Canada
w:Royal Rifles of Canada

(military) Initialism of Royal Rifles of Canada.


velt-marshal

(military, obsolete) A field marshal, in the militaries of certain countries.


CAFGU

Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit
w:Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit

(Philippines, military) Acronym of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit.


CAFGU

(Philippines, military) A member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit.


keep rank

keep rank (third-person singular simple present keeps rank, present participle keeping rank, simple past and past participle kept rank)

keeps rank (present singular third-person)
keeping rank (participle present)
kept rank (participle past)
kept rank (past)

Coordinate term: break ranks


balloon apron

(military, historical) An integrated system of balloons equipped with wire cables reaching the ground, designed as a defence against hostile aircraft.


BFV

Bradley Fighting Vehicle
w:Bradley Fighting Vehicle

(military) Initialism of Bradley Fighting Vehicle.


bunk lizard

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-bunk lizard.wav

(US, military slang, World War I– World War II) A soldier who relishes his bed.


canteen lizard

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-canteen lizard.wav

(US military slang, World War I) A soldier who relishes eating out or working in kitchens in the rear.


chow gun

chow guns (plural)
chow-gun (alternative)

(US military slang, 1910s–1930s) A field kitchen on wheels.


suicide club

(military slang, 1910s–1930s) A suicide squad.


zigzig

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-zigzig.wav

(US military slang, World War I– World War II) Sexual intercourse.


war baby

war babies (plural)
war-baby (alternative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-war baby.wav

(US military slang, World War I) An officer owing his position to the need of the time rather than competence.


trench derby

trench derbies (plural)
trench-derby (alternative)

(military slang, World War I) A tin hat.


tin derby

tin derbies (plural)
tin-derby (alternative)


tin dip

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-tin dip.wav


tin lid

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-tin lid.wav


nailkeg

nailkegs (plural)
nail-keg (alternative)
nail keg (alternative)

(World War I military slang) A shrapnel shell.


post prison

The regimental guardhouse was on the ground floor of the Regimental Headquarters Building at its southern end, facing the quadrangle. It was modern in every respect and about as secure as any prison. There were never more than about fifteen or twenty regimental prisoners confined in the guardhouse, men either awaiting trial or serving sentences of six months or less. Most of the sentences were for minor offenses, such as drunkenness, violation of orders, pilferage, and absence without leave—A.W.O.L. Men convicted of more serious offenses, such as desertion, larceny, insubordination, sex deviation, and other more serious crimes, were confined in the post prison.

1989, Lucian King Truscott, The Twilight of the U.S. Cavalry. Life in the Old Army, 1917-1942, University Press of Kansas, →ISBN, page 43:

(US military, historical) The prison of a regimental post.


earliest anticipated launch time

(military) The earliest possible moment anticipated for a special operations tactical element and its support platform to exit the marshalling area en route to the operations area.


QMR

(military) Initialism of qualitative materiel requirement.


home defence

en-noun

home defence (countable and uncountable, plural home defences)

(military) Organized defence of a nation's home territory against an invasion or external attack.


magazine gun

(firearms) A type of portable firearm consisting of a chamber holding cartridges which are set into position for firing automatically.


powder hose

(military) A tube of strong linen, filled with an explosive powder and used for firing a mine.


junk wad

junk wad (countable and uncountable, plural junk wads)

(firearms) A plug made of oakum bound with spun yarn and designed to keep the powder and shot in place when loading a gun or cartridge.


grog-fight

(military, slang, archaic) A drinking party.


flash-to-bang time

flash-to-bang time (countable and uncountable, plural flash-to-bang times)

(military, weaponry) The period of time between when light is first observed and when the sound of the (nuclear or other) detonation is heard.


good cookie

(US, military, informal, originally and chiefly Marine Corps) a Good Conduct Medal.


MGB

medium girder bridge
medium girder bridge#English

(military) Initialism of medium girder bridge.


cmdg.

cmdg. officer

cmdg. general


rctg.

rctg. sergeant


sea story

(military) An anecdote from a person's time serving in the navy.


sloop-of-war

(UK, military, historical) A warship with a single gundeck that carried up to eighteen guns.


plotting room

(military, historical) A room on a ship or in a defence installation that received data on ship or aircraft positions and motion, and planned the range and bearing to fire on them.


MGO

MGO (countable and uncountable, plural MGOs)

Master-General of the Ordnance
w:Master-General of the Ordnance

(UK, military, historical, countable) Initialism of Master-General of the Ordnance.


CHOD

chief of defence
chief of defence#English

(military) Initialism of chief of defence.


sub-cheese

Borrowed from Hindi सब (sab, “all, every”) + Hindi चीज़ (cīz, “thing, object, item”), respelled in a folk-etymological identification with sub- + cheese.

bor+

subcheese (alternative)
subcheeze (alternative)
subchiz (alternative)

Another inch further over would have precipitated the whole sub cheeze, down the incline.

1859, P. & O., Always Ready, or, Every One His Pride, London: Hall, Virtue, & Co., page 175:

'She's as clever as a man, confound her,' Martyn went on. 'She broke up the bungalow over my head while I was talking at her. Settled the whole subchiz [outfit] in three hours—servants, horses, and all. I didn't get my orders till nine.'

1898, Rudyard Kipling, “William the Conqueror: Part I”, in The Day's Work, London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, page 181:

"The whole bloody sub-cheese, the lot!"

1993, George MacDonald Fraser, Quartered Safe Out Here: A Recollection of the War in Burma, London: HarperCollinsPublishers, published 1995, →ISBN, page 187:

'If you'd threatened that earlier, Monty, I'd have ponied up the whole sub-cheese to avoid it.'

2018, Ben Schott, Jeeves and the King of Clubs, London: Hutchinson, →ISBN, page 17:

(originally Anglo-Indian, military slang, archaic) Everything; all there is.


high command

(military) A group of officers in charge of an army under the control of the commander-in-chief.


slow time

en-noun

slow time (countable and uncountable, plural slow times)

(military, music) A slow marching pace, consisting of about sixty to eighty paces per minute, traditionally used at funerals and on ceremonial occasions.


refuze

en-verb

refuze (third-person singular simple present refuzes, present participle refuzing, simple past and past participle refuzed)

refuzes (present singular third-person)
refuzing (participle present)
refuzed (participle past)
refuzed (past)

Refuzing will be done by remote control. […] Record lot number of fuze used in refuzing on DA Form 984 […]

1977, United States. Department of the Army, Soldier's Manual: Ammunition Inspector for Skill Levels 3 and 4, pages 3-247:

(military, transitive) To fit with a new fuze.


White Army

Calque of Russian Белая армия (Belaja armija). White was the traditional color of the antirevolutionary movement in some countries, adopted as a symbolic name by the Russian movement.

calque

(historical, military) a collation of anti-Bolshevik armed groups that fought the Red Army during the Russian Civil War


mook jong

mook jongs (plural)
mook yan jong (alternative)

Derived from Cantonese 木人樁 /木人桩 (muk6 jan4 zong1)

der+

(martial arts) A type of wooden dummy designed to be kicked and punched in Wing Chun kung fu training.


dim mak

(martial arts) Any of various martial arts techniques reputed to kill using seemingly less than lethal force targeted at a specific area of the body.


strategism

(military) An excessive emphasis on strategy.


Five Power Defence Arrangements

en-proper noun

the Five Power Defence Arrangements pl (plural only)

the Five Power Defence Arrangements (canonical plural)
FPDA (alternative)

(British, UK, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, politics, military) the British-backed multilateral joint armed force between the British commonwealth countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania (mainly Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom).


FPDA

Five Power Defence Arrangements
Five Power Defence Arrangements#English

(British, UK, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, politics, military) Initialism of Five Power Defence Arrangements (“British-backed multilateral joint armed force between British commonwealth countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania”).


chmobik

Borrowed from Russian чмо́бик (čmóbik), itself a blend of чмо (čmo, “scoundrel”) + мо́бик (móbik, “poorly-trained Russian conscript soldier”), as if an abbreviation of части́чно мобилизо́ванный (častíčno mobilizóvannyj, “partially-mobilized”); itself a reference to the term части́чная мобилиза́ция (častíčnaja mobilizácija, “partial mobilization”) used by Russian media when referring to the 2022 Russian mobilization for the invasion of Ukraine.

abbrev

части́чно мобилизо́ванный

Chmobiki are russian citizens who were mobilized as a result of partial mobilization in russia in September 2022.

2022 October 3, Ihor Zhdanov, Interfax-Ukraine:

The Russian Army orders the Chmobik to fight using only shovels. I present to you the Second World Army.

2023 February 2, u/sillyangel1945, Reddit:

A ChMobik was tied to a tree by his commander for refusing to enter battle. when he was released, he wrote a letter to high command reporting the incident.

(informal, derogatory, Internet, neologism, military, sometimes humorous) A Russian soldier conscripted during the 2022 Russian mobilization.

2022 Russian mobilization
Russian invasion of Ukraine


Iris hut

(military, historical) A prefabricated steel structure used by the British military predominantly during the early Second World War, serving as barracks, workshops, or storage facilities.


mogilization

en-noun

mogilization (countable and uncountable, plural mogilizations)

Partial calque of Russian могилиза́ция (mogilizácija), originally a blend of моги́ла (mogíla, “grave”) + мобилиза́ция (mobilizácija, “mobilization”), as if from моги́ла (mogíla, “grave”) + -иза́ция (-izácija, “-ization”).
* (US) IPA⁽ᵏᵉʸ⁾: /moʊɡəɫəˈzeɪʃən/
* Rhymes: -eɪʃən

partial calque

могилиза́ция

blend

мобилиза́ция

IPA

/moʊɡəɫəˈzeɪʃən/

(slang, informal, neologism, derogatory, military, sometimes humorous) A mobilization, ostensibly precipitating mass casualties; a mobilization to the grave.

(slang, informal, neologism, derogatory, military, sometimes humorous, specifically) The 2022 Russian mobilization.


breakfall

(martial arts) A technique to minimize impact and injury when falling or being thrown to the ground.


Andrew Millar

(chiefly UK, naval slang) Alternative form of Andrew Miller (“the navy”)


multibarrels

His own [heart] was hammering like a minigun, multibarrels firing.


Israel Occupation Forces

First appeared on the Internet around the late 1990s or early 2000s.

(military, derogatory) The Israel Defense Forces.


ma'am sandwich

en-noun

ma'am sandwich (plural ma'am sandwiches)

Coordinate term: sir sandwich

(military, slang) The practice of beginning and ending a sentence with the address of ma'am.


fully-automatic

Coordinate term: semi-automatic

(weaponry, firearms) That loads itself and fires continuously.


kill chain

(military) The process of making an attack, from identifying the target to dispatching forces and destroying it.


budge barrel

(military, obsolete) A small barrel for transporting gunpowder, having a leather hood to prevent the powder from catching fire.


LDEW

DragonFire, a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW), achieved the first UK firing of a high-power laser against an aerial target.

2024 January 20, Mike Merritt, “Fired from Scots isle, laser gun that can hit a £1 coin from half a mile”, in Daily Mail, page 22:

The UK’s Ministry of Defence has released new footage of its laser weapon DragonFire being tested. The video showed the laser-directed energy weapon, or LDEW, system successfully shooting an aerial target in tests off the coast of Scotland in January.

2024 March 14, Tom Porter, “Britain shows off a laser weapon that could take out drones for as little as $13”, in Business Insider, US edition:

(military) Initialism of laser-directed energy weapon.


SBIRS

Space-Based Infrared System
w:Space-Based Infrared System

(military) Initialism of Space-Based Infrared System.


RMAF

Royal Malaysian Air Force
w:Royal Malaysian Air Force

(Malaysia, military, aviation) Initialism of Royal Malaysian Air Force.

Royal Moroccan Air Force
w:Royal Moroccan Air Force

(military, aviation) Initialism of Royal Moroccan Air Force.


EDCA

w:Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement

(Philippines, US, politics, military) Acronym of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (a mutual defense agreement between the Philippines and the United States).


(military) Initialism of hospital apprentice first class.


(military) Initialism of hospital apprentice second class.


primary time

primary time (countable and uncountable, plural primary times)

(military, aviation) The amount of time in which a pilot is actively controlling the aircraft, excluding time flown while instructing and evaluating.


anchor point

Tournament archers generally use a lower anchor point, with the string hand under the chin.

1997, M. R. James, G. Fred Asbell, Dave Holt, Bowhunting Equipment and Skills, page 83:

Low groups can come from a mis-set sight, dropping your bow arm because of fatigue, a broken serving causing your nocking point to elevate, a loose aperture or scope, or half a dozen form flaws (such as a misplaced anchor point).

2004, Steve Ruis, Claudia Stevenson, Precision Archery, page 59:

To this point you have been using an under-chin anchor point. You have been anchoring your string hand under your jaw bone.

2006, Kathleen Haywood, Catherine Lewis, Archery: Steps to Success, page 67:

(archery) A point on the body, such as the chin or the corner of the mouth, that an archer touches with the string hand when the bow is fully drawn, in order to maintain a consistent draw.


controlled variable time

controlled variable time (countable and uncountable, plural controlled variable times)

(military, weaponry) A type of artillery fuze that has a mechanical timer which activates the radar when it is near the target.


riding time

riding time (countable and uncountable, plural riding times)

(wrestling) The elapsed time that counts in favor of a wrestler gaining control of an opponent on the mat.


functioning time

functioning time (countable and uncountable, plural functioning times)

(military, weaponry) Of ordnance, the amount of time required for the fuze to detonate after impact or after a preset time.


casualty notification

casualty notification (plural casualty notifications)

death notification
death notification#English

(military) Synonym of death notification


price of admiralty

(UK, military, historical) The cost of maintaining supreme command of the seas.


loadie

There were 2 000 rounds of ammo to fire between us four loadies. We sat there for hours and took our potshots.

2010, Cameron Blake, From Soldier to Civvy: Reflections on National Service:


jack-in-the-box effect

jack-in-the-box effect (plural jack-in-the-box effects)

(military slang) A specific effect of a catastrophic kill on a tank or other turreted armored vehicle in which an ammunition explosion causes the tank's turret to be violently blown off the chassis and into the air.


SAAF

South African Air Force
w:South African Air Force

(South Africa, military, aviation) Initialism of South African Air Force.


TLAM

Tomahawk Land Attack Missile
w:Tomahawk (missile)

(US military) Initialism of Tomahawk Land Attack Missile.


ROTU

Reserve Officer Training Unit
w:Reserve Officer Training Unit

(Malaysia, military) Initialism of Reserve Officer Training Unit.


IRIAF

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
w:Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force

(military, aviation) Initialism of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.


IIAF

Imperial Iranian Air Force
w:Imperial Iranian Air Force

(military, aviation, historical) Initialism of Imperial Iranian Air Force (1925 to 1979).


full eagle colonel

full eagle colonel (plural full eagle colonels)

[…] full eagle colonel and a flight surgeon. According to the scuttle - butt prior to his arrival, he was an efficient administrative as well as medical officer with many contacts in Washington, one of the few reserve medical officers in[…]

2005 October 26, Paul Borick, Ho! Ho! Weekend Warrior, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 131:

[…]. That means you'll be at least a full eagle colonel.” Reynolds frowned, obviously trying to think of a response. “Maybe now you'll treat me with more respect.” “In your dreams, soldier. What you need, Ethan Stark, is.

2011 September 9, Jack Campbell, Stark's Crusade, Titan Books, →ISBN:

(US, slang, military) Synonym of bird colonel


RBAF

Royal Brunei Armed Forces
w:Royal Brunei Armed Forces

(Brunei, military) Initialism of Royal Brunei Armed Forces.


RBN

(Brunei, military, nautical) Initialism of Royal Brunei Navy.


JDF

Jamaica Defence Force
w:Jamaica Defence Force

(Jamaica, military) Initialism of Jamaica Defence Force.


Rough Riders

Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War

(US, military, slang, dated) The 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, military unit in the Spanish-American War.

Battle of San Juan Hill
Theodore Roosevelt


gaff off

en-verb

gaff off (third-person singular simple present gaffs off, present participle gaffing off, simple past and past participle gaffed off)

gaffs off (present singular third-person)
gaffing off (participle present)
gaffed off (participle past)
gaffed off (past)

(slang, US military) To deliberately disrespect a commanding officer; to be insubordinate; to disregard a lawful command.


single up

single up (third-person singular simple present singles up, present participle singling up, simple past and past participle singled up)

singles up (present singular third-person)
singling up (participle present)
singled up (participle past)
singled up (past)


walk down

walk down (third-person singular simple present walks down, present participle walking down, simple past and past participle walked down)

walks down (present singular third-person)
walking down (participle present)
walked down (participle past)
walked down (past)

He's relentlessly walking him down.

(boxing, transitive) To continually advance (on an opponent) and punch (the opponent) in order to control the fight and dominate the opponent, while shrugging off the opponent's punches.


pistolized

(chiefly Philippines, firearms) with shoulder stock removed and replaced with a pistol grip on a long gun (such as a shotgun or carbine)