Dictionary of Military Terms

Richard Bowyer

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781135946050
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

This book provides a comprehensive ready-reference of military terms. With clear definitions of more than 7, 000 terms, Dictionary of Military Terms covers both British and American terms as well as international terms, and includes: military personnel; maneuvers; equipment; vehicles; weapons; tactics; and commands.

CHARLIE - Cc

C-130 [ˈsi: wʌnˈθɜ:ti] noun American-designed transport aircraft (NOTE: also known as the Hercules)

C-141 [ˈsi: ˈwʌnfɔ:ˈwʌn] noun American-designed transport aircraft (NOTE: also known as the Starlifter)

C-17 [ˈsi: sevənˈti:n] noun American-designed heavy-lift transport aircraft, which is capable of landing on short runways (NOTE: also known as Globemaster)

C-601 [si: ˈsɪksəʊˈwʌn] noun Chinese-designed anti-ship missile

C-801 [si: ˈeɪtəʊˈwʌn] noun Chinese-designed anti-ship missile

CA = CRUISER (with guns)

cab [kæb] noun driver’s compartment of a lorry or truck

cabin [ˈkæbɪn] noun (a) room on an aircraft or ship (normally used as living quarters); the captain called a meeting in his cabin (b) US hut or simple shelter; they spent the night in a cabin in the mountains

cable [ˈkeɪbl] noun (a) thick metal wire which is used to convey electricity from one place to another (b) thick metal wire which is used to moor a ship, or to tow a ship or vehicle (NOTE: also called a hawser)

caisson [ˈkeɪsən] noun trailer designed to carry ammunition

caliber see CALIBRE

calibre US caliber [ˈkælɪbə] noun (a) internal diameter of a gun barrel (b) external diameter of a projectile

call [kɔ:l] 1 noun (a) shout or cry (b) radio message 2 verb (a) to speak loudly; we heard him calling; call the roll = to check that all members of a unit or sub-unit are present; he ordered the sergeant to call the roll (b) to summon; he called the man over (c) to request or order; he called for smoke; on call = available on request; we have a section of mortars on call (d) to wake someone up; call me at 0600 (e) to speak to someone on a radio or telephone; he called the duty officer to inform him of the incident

call-sign (C/S) [ˈkɔ:lˈsaɪn] noun name, letters or numbers used to identify a person or sub-unit on the radio

call up [ˈkɔ:l ˈʌp] verb to summon for military service; all the young men have been called up; he was called up in 1944 and immediately sent to the front

call-up [ˈkɔ:lʌp] noun action of calling someone to join the armed forces; his call-up was deferred because he was still at university

caltrops [ˈkæltrɒps] plural noun set of metal spikes designed to damage vehicle tyres

cam [kæm] (informal) 1 noun camouflage; put plenty of cam on this tank; cam-cream = cosmetic face-paint for camouflage; cam-net = camouflage net 2 verb to cam up = to apply camouflage; they cammed up

camouflage [ˈkæməflɑ:ʒ] 1 noun (a) use of natural and man-made materials to make something blend in with the surrounding area; camouflage is an essential military skill (b) materials used for camouflage (natural vegetation, camouflage-net, fabric, paint); put plenty of camouflage on this tank; camouflage cream = cosmetic face-paint for camouflage; camouflage net = covering of knotted cord and pieces of fabric, used to conceal a vehicle, piece of equipment or structure 2 verb to conceal something by making it blend in with its surroundings; they were camouflaging their vehicles

camp [kæmp] 1 noun (a) place where people are accommodated in temporary shelter (such as tents); the refugees are being housed in camps; POW camp or prison camp = secure location where prisoners-of-war are accommodated; see also CONCENTRATION CAMP (b) place where troops are accommodated and trained; the recruits returned to camp; US (informal) boot camp = army training establishment for new recruits 2 verb to live outdoors in temporary shelter; we camped by the river

campaign [kæmˈpeɪn] 1 noun prolonged period of military activity in a specific area or region; we are planning an autumn campaign at the end of the rainy season; the North Africa Campaign = long period of warfare in North Africa; campaign medal = medal awarded for service during a certain campaign 2 verb to conduct or take part in a campaign; the army spent two years campaigning in North Africa

camp-bed [ˈkæmpˈbed] noun lightweight folding or collapsible bed used for camping (NOTE: American English for this is cot)

camp-follower [ˈkæmpˈfɒləʊwə] noun civilian who attaches himself or herself to an army during a campaign

camp-site [ˈkæmpˈsaɪt] noun place used for setting up a camp

can [kæn] noun (a) metal container for liquid (such as a petrol can) (b) US metal container in which food or drink is hermetically sealed for storage over long periods (NOTE: in British English, tin is more usual in this meaning when referring to containers for food)

canal [kəˈnæl] noun artificial waterway used for navigation or irrigation

canister [kænɪstə] noun (a) metal container for gas or aerosol; you should wear protective clothing when handling gas canisters; smoke canister = metal container containing chemicals which produce smoke (b) (historical) anti-infantry projectile used in large artillery pieces or large calibre guns, consisting of a container filled with ball bearings which was fired directly at the target; the canisters disintegrated as they left the muzzle of the gun, and scattered the ball bearings over a wide area

cannibalize [ˈkænəbəlaɪz] verb to use damaged or defective equipment as a source of spare parts

cannon [ˈkænən] noun (a) large calibre heavy machine-gun (b) large wheeled gun, often capable of firing explosive projectiles (c) (historical) outdated muzzle-loading artillery piece; cannon-fodder = soldiers who are seen merely as material to be used during a war

cannonball [ˈkænənbɔ:l] noun large round stone or metal ball, fired from old cannons

canoe [kəˈnu:] noun small hand-powered narrow boat with pointed ends

canopy [ˈkænəpi] noun (a) covering suspended over an object; we erected a canopy to protect the wounded from the sun (b) fabric part of a parachute; his canopy failed to open properly (c) cover provided by the leaves and branches of trees in a wood, forest, jungle, etc.; the jungle’s canopy concealed the enemy’s movements (d) transparent cover of an aircraft’s cockpit; the aircraft needed a new c...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• ALPHA - Aa
• BRAVO - Bb
• CHARLIE - Cc
• DELTA - Dd
• ECHO - Ee
• FOXTROT - Ff
• GOLF - Gg
• HOTEL - Hh
• INDIA - Ii
• JULIET - Jj
• KILO - Kk
• LIMA - Ll
• MIKE - Mm
• NOVEMBER - Nn
• OSCAR - Oo
• PAPA - Pp
• QUEBEC - Qq
• ROMEO - Rr
• SIERRA - Ss
• TANGO - Tt
• UNIFORM - Uu
• VICTOR - Vv
• WHISKY - Ww
• X-RAY - Xx
• YANKEE - Yy
• ZULU - Zz
• SUPPLEMENT
• Military Grouping Symbols