Glossary of Modern Terms

with origins in military history

annoy

bother 16C La in odio "in hatred", attack or annoy a town

astonish

surprise 16C La extonare "to strike by thunder", a blow on the head astonished a man

at full tilt

as fast or as forcibly as possible 14C sword or lance

at the ready

prepared for immediate use 15C preparing to raise firearm to aim or fire

avante-garde

unorthodox, experimental approach 15C Fr "front guard" or "advance guard"

bachelor

unmarried man 11C Fr bacheler or bas chevalier "below a knight", squire

bag and baggage

all of one's belongings 15C army retreats with all of its property, surrendering nothing

barricade

barrier 16C Fr barriques barrels to block army "la Journee des Barricades" 05/12/1588

basin

water bowl 9C La bachinas "an eating bowl", Fr bacin "bowl on the head", En bassinet "little basin"

bastion

stonghold 15C Fr 5-sided projection in fort wall

bear the brunt

take main impact 15C army front ranks

beat a retreat

back down 14C drums sound recall

belfry

bell tower 12C Fr berfrei/berfrooi "place of safety" siege tower

berserker

wildly crazy 6C Sc ber serkr, "bear shirt", no armor

besiege

crowd from all sides 11C Fr siege "seat", sit & wait

beleaguer

harass 12C Du leger "military camp"or "attack by surrounding"

blue ribbon

outstanding 14C King Edward III Knights of the Royal Garter

booty

prize or gain 16C Ge bute "share or distribution" of war plunder

boulevard

major street ?? Fr boulevard, Du bul "trunk of a tree" vark "work", defending bulwark, fortification

broadside

strong verbal attack 16C simultaneous discharge of all guns on one side of ship

bulwark

strong defense of support 15C strong defensive rampart made of earth or other materials

burn one's bridges/boats

commit oneself irrevocably 10C vanquish or die (Roman "cross the Rubicon")

caddie

golfer's aide 15C Fr cadet "younger son in army"

camp follower

1C Fr campagne, La campus "field"

cartel

groups joined in common cause 16C It cartello "written challenge to a duel", later "agreement" between opponents

cartridge

container for liquid, powder, gas, film, tape 15C La carta "paper" (cardboard) container for spices, drugs black powder

cavalcade

procession 16C It cavalcata (fr. La caballus) "raid by men on horseback"

comrade

fellow member, colleague, friend, crony 16C Sp camarada "place where soldiers sleep", soldiers who live & work together

decimate

annihilate 1C La decimare "to kill every tenth man"

drill

practice 16C drill in a circle

drum up

gather support 15C drum troops to rally

earshot

within hearing 16C a distance like "bowshot" for a `gunshot

egg on

urge, encourage 6C No eggja "to put an edge on"

feather in one's cap

special honor 16C Hungarian (and other European) soldiers got one feather for each kill

flash in the pan

short-lived success 16C Powder in matchlock pan does not exploded

forlorn hope

little chance of success 16C Du verloren hoop "lost troop", select soldiers to start battle

havoc

destruction or devastation 11C ME havok "plunder" (became outlawed to say)

hoisted on one's own petard

caught in one's own trap 15C ME hoist "to send sky high" petard "iron canister of explosive"

lock, stock and barrel

the whole thing 16C three parts of a matchlock, black powder musket or arquebus

loophole

way out 14C hold or opening in fortress walls (first for shooting from, later for exiting)

magazine

collection of articles 16C Ar makhazin "store house", originally for storing black powder

marshal

set out in orderly way 7C OHGe marahscah "mare servant", keeper of horses

musketeer

friends engaged in a similar enterprise 16C Fr mousequitaire "soldier with musket"

muster

measure up 13C La monstrare "to show up, assemble", muster militia to training camp

petard, hoisted on one's own

caught in one's own trap 15C ME hoist "sky high", petard "shaped charged"

pioneer

first settlers 16C Fr peonier "foot soldiers", first to go ahead andmake camp, later engineers, sappers

pummel

pound 16C Fr pomme "apple", La pomom "fruit", shape of sword pommel... used to strike blows

quell

subdue, quiet 16C OE cwellan, ME quellan "to kill with violence or slaughter"

rank and file

followers rather than leaders 16C En rank "side by side", file "behind one another", information

rendezvous

pre-arranged meeting 16C Fr "present yourselves", troops or warships to assemble

scuttlebutt

rumor or gossip ?C En scuttle "hole in a vessel", hole in butt/cask where sailors drank water, talked

stun

surprise 14C ME "to make a 'din'"

subsidy

financial support 14C La subsidii "troops held in reserve" to provide assistance

swash buckler

swaggering doer of daring deeds 16C OE swash "to dash against", buckle "raised boss on shield

to the hilt

to the utmost 16C En "sword plunged in to its hilt"

visor

brim of a cap 10C Fr viser "to face", later moveable portion of a military helmet (also remove helm/hat & salute)

wardrobe

close or clothes cabinet 15C Fr warde guard, robe "valuables"

watchword

principle, slogan, or motto 14C En "word to pass the watch", later "to signal an attack"

whine

plaintive or complaining noise 15C A-S hwinan "whizzing sound of flying arrows", later bullets, children & animal sounds

En = English, ME = Middle English, OE = Old English, A-S = Anglo-Saxon, Fr = French, Sp = Spanish, It = Italian, La = Latin, Du = Dutch, (OH = Old High) Ge = German, No = Norse, Sc = Scandanavian, Ar = Arabic

_{Originally created 25 March 1999

by
Michael Foster}