Military Sayings in Everyday Life

[PunkReaper]

Thought you may find these interesting....Feel free to add your own.

The Balloon Has Gone UP : you know there is trouble ahead: WW1 observation balloons sent up to watch for attack and WW2 barrage balloons being raised was a sign of impending action.

Bite the Bullet : carry out a task against your wishes : At the time of the Indian Mutiny in The British Empire Hindu soldiers were forced to bite the bullet off the charge to load their guns. This contained pig fat which was from a holy animal and they were forced to bite this against their wishes.

Chance Your Arm: take an uncalculated risk: soldiers would take a risk to be promoted and get stripes on their arms.

A Feather in Your Cap: do something well : In Medieval England a knight showing bravery was rewarded this way, hence the crest of the Prince of Wales.

Flash in the Pan: Great show but no result: sometimes to powder ignited in the lock pan but failed to ignite the charge in an early musket.

A Line in the Sand: go no further :one of the Macedonian kings, a bit short of cash, decided to invade Egypt, then a Roman protectorate. His army was met at the border by a lone Roman senator named Popillius Laenas, who ordered the king to withdraw. The king began to stall for time, so Popillius Laenas drew a circle in the sand around the king and demanded that the king agree to withdraw his army before he stepped out of the circle

The die is cast: What will happen will happen: Caesar on crossing the Rubicon into Italy

There's a few to start you off.

[PunkReaper]

Just thought of another

Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey : it's pretty cold : Brass monkeys held the cannon balls on the Men of war ships. If very cold the balls would fall through onto the deck.

[HansBolter]

Crossed the Rubicon: Committed to a course of action...when Ceaser crossed the Rubicon he committed his army to the advance on Rome.

Screwed the pooch: fighter jockey slang for screwed up.

[ilovestrategy]

Square Meal. On British Ships of the Line the plates were square.

I can't believe it! I actually got to contribute some knowledge on this forum after being here for over 2 years! [X(][:D]

[PunkReaper]

Screwed the pooch: fighter jockey slang for screwed up

What's the origin of that saying...who originally screwed the first pooh?

Run : run away : French Army
Surrender : Give up the enemy have arrived : Italian Army [:D] sorry couldn't help myself.

[HansBolter]

ORIGINAL: Punk Reaper

Screwed the pooch: fighter jockey slang for screwed up

What's the origin of that saying...who originally screwed the first pooh?

not gonna touch that one [8D]

[PunkReaper]

That's what the first fighter jockey should have said [:D][:D]

[HansBolter]

Since you stepped over to the lighter side above I'll add another:

EBay add for used French Army Rifle:

Slightly used French Army Rifle: Dropped once, never fired!

[Jeffrey H.]

Give it or gave it The whole nine yards - Something to do with a length of belted ammunition being 9 yards long. Ledgend varies on the origin.
 
 

[andym]

Show or Shake a Leg:RN saying form when in Port the call to show a leg would go out,if it were hairy then it was a Matelot if not invariably it was a female and allowed to stay in the hammock.
 
Nipper (as used in reference to a small boy)RN Slang for a Small boy that was employed to wrap(nip) a warp around the very large Anchor cable to enable it to be raised via the capstan.
 
Not enough room to swing a cat:RN saying refering to a small space where the Bo'sun couldnt weild the cat o nine tails effectively.

[James Ward]

SNAFU: Saying used by grunts used to express admiration of leadership ability of their superiors - Situation normall, All F*cked Up.

[PunkReaper]

It is amazing how many Royal Navy expressions are used in everyday speech.

Son of a Gun : Child born on the gun deck

The Bitter End ; End of an anchor rope...meaning the water was too deep to anchor

Goes by the Board: Board was the side of the tall ship so to go by the board was to be lost

Had your chips: workers in the old dockyards were allowed to take home wood (chips) as a prk but if they fell out of favour they were told they had had their chips.

[HansBolter]

MRE: Meals Rejected by Everyone

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Punk Reaper


Bite the Bullet : carry out a task against your wishes : At the time of the Indian Mutiny in The British Empire Hindu soldiers were forced to bite the bullet off the charge to load their guns. This contained pig fat which was from a holy animal and they were forced to bite this against their wishes.

I always thought that "bite the bullet" came from literally doing so to help deal with the pain of battlefield surgery. Incidentally, the business about pig fat (for the Muslim soldiers) and cow fat (for the Hindu soldiers) was only a rumor to incite the Mutiny. The cartridges issued were paper enclosures containing bullet and powder, and they could be torn open with the fingers, but in the heat of battle they were usually torn open with the teeth so as not to drop the musket. The British actually greased them with lamb fat, or waxed them, to make them water-resistant. But as Mark Twain said, "A lie can travel hal-way around the world while Truth is still putting on her boots".

[uncc]

don't forget FUBAR  [:)]

[Jevhaddah]

Going off Half-Cocked: Firing yer musket without setting the striker to Full Cock, Doing something before yer really ready or prepared.

Shooting yer bolt: Firing yer rifle without a round in the chamber, playing mummys and daddys and not making it over the finish line [8D]Probably means other things in other parts of the world [:D]

Cheers

Jev

[Sarge]

'Nuts'

[Jeffrey H.]

Just a flash in the pan - Something brief and meaningless. I always felt that this was a term from muzzleloading rifles.

[Johnus]

I thought having "shot your bolt" means having "fired" your crossbow and, hence, having done your best.

[Ironfist738]

" Damn the Torpedoe's " I beleave was a battle cry from a American Naval officer.
means: Forward / Attack at any cost.