Military Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

Citations in the Category Military

Military. Army, Navy, Marines, sailors, soldiers, aviators, the Pentagon, the military-industrial complex, warfare, wars. You can also see entries assigned to this category.

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waterbowling n. They said Glass and another drill instructor would line recruits up after meals and force them to down liters of water from their canteens in a ritual they referred to as “waterbowling.” [English Military New or Nonce Slang] [full cite] (Nov. 16, 2007)

waz adj. The team name Wazwagamafs comes from waz (Marine lingo for fantastic) and “wagamafs, (wives and girlfriends and mums and families/friends). [English United Kingdom Military Slang] [full cite] (Aug. 20, 2008)

wet wings n.pl. It holds the fuel in its wings, referred to as wet wings, and underneath its belly. [English Military] [full cite] (Jun. 15, 2004)

whiskey n. The platoons of Weapons Company are often referred to as “whiskey.” [English Military] [full cite] (Jul. 25, 2006)

white horse n. I was enlisted for NS in 1994. My platoon mates and I were at first unaware that there was a “white horse” among us. Therefore, we were generally surprised with the “special privileges” accorded to us that ranged from more frequent canteen breaks, later wake-up hours and sometimes better food servings. It was only till the passing-out parade (for recruits) that the truth dawned on us. One of our platoon mate, who did not stand out in any way, be it in physical tests, shooting skills or leadership qualities, was named the company’s best recruit instead of other more worthy ones. The puzzle was quickly solved when it was known that the “white horse’s” influential father is the guest-of-honour for our batch’s passing-out-parade. [English Singapore Military Slang] [full cite] (May. 20, 2007)

white space n. Controlling white space, a military term for areas that warfighters don’t physically occupy, is another revolutionizing trend, Ozolek said. For example, GPS-directed unmanned vehicles patrol where soldiers cannot. [English Military] [full cite] (Feb. 13, 2007)

white top n. To get to Bamiyan Province about a hundred miles due west of Kabul, the Afghan capital, Mrs. Bush flew by helicopter. There was none of the airborne luxury of the so-called “white tops”—the Sikorsky Sea Kings that usually serve as Marine One. On this trip, she boarded a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook—a twin rotor helicopter outfitted for combat. [English Aviation Military Slang] [full cite] (Jun. 10, 2008)

Willy Pete n. I heard the order to pay attention because they were going to use white phosphorus on Fallujah. In military jargon it’s known as Willy Pete. [ Language English Register Slang Subject Military] [full cite] (Nov. 9, 2005)

winter soldier n. Why “Winter Soldier”? This harkens back to 1777-78. After suffering three terrible defeats by the much larger British force and marching hundreds of miles, the hungry, ragged, typhoid-infected, 11,000-man Continental Army retreated to a winter headquarters at Valley Forge, Pa. Entire militia companies had deserted to return home. Of those men who remained and the 700 women who fed, nursed and warmed them through that winter, revolutionary firebrand and pamphleteer Thomas Paine wrote, “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of all men and women.” Those who endure beyond their obligated duty have come to be called “winter soldiers.” [English Military] [full cite] (May. 6, 2008)

wire n. Those of us who conduct missions “outside the wire’ on a regular basis have come up with a variety of terms to refer to those who remain safe and comfortable on base. [English Military] [full cite] (Jul. 18, 2005)

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