Collocations
Collateral damage
Pretext for war
Civilian casualties
Human shield
Nuclear deterrent
Cannon fodder
Air strike
Surface to air missle
Land mine
Remote detonation
Booby trap
Chemical / Biological warfare
Air-raid shelter
No fly zone
Vocab
Ricochet
Bunker
Bayonet
Chopper
Desertion
Artillery
Anti-personel mines
Cluster bombs
War idioms
Act of war –
Dodge a bullet – A avoid
Drop a bombshell –
Fight an uphill battle
Fight fire with fire
Great guns
Gun-shy
Hang fire
Have a riot
Hold fire
In your sights
Keep your powder dry
Knives are out
Lay waste
Lock and load
Long shot
Loose cannon
Lower your sights
More than one string to their bow
Off your guard
Open old wounds
Over the top
Pull the trigger
Put to the sword
Quick on the trigger
Sweat bullets
Take the flak
Twist the knife
Two-edged sword
Under the gun
Up in arms
War chest
War of words
Short fuse
Rank and file
Ride shotgun
Rise through the ranks
Run the gauntlet
Sabre-rattling
Set your sights on
Shell-shocked
Shoot down in flames / Crash and burn
Shoot from the hip
A shot across the bow / warning shot
Smoking gun
Spill blood
Stare down the barrel of a gun
Stick to your guns
British – Military slang
Beasted – To comanded to to exercise of extreme duration and difficulty as a form of punishment.
Bug Out – To move from your current location as fast as possible.
civvy – Civilian (None forces personel)
Civvy street – Civilian life.
Pull up a sandbag – To tell a story
Green time machine – Sleeping bag
Scran – Food
Stag – Guard duty
Chin-strapped – Tired
TAB – To walk quickly – ‘Tactical Advance to Battle’, a forced march carrying a heavy backpack over a long distance, usually ending in a battle or training
Yomp – A march, a hike, similiar to TAB.
Recce – Reconnaissance. For example – ‘let’s go recce that pub and see what it’s like.’
Rupert – Perjorative name for an officer.
Bang Stick – Rifle.
Acroynyms: The number of acronyms used by the military is mind boggling but here are some of the most common.
M.O.D. – Ministry of Defence
A.W.O.L. – Absent without leave
M.I.A. – Missing in action
N.A.T.O. – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
F.I.S.H. Term used to describe conducting urban warfare, Fighting In Someone’s House