Military & Defence
Society · 92 words
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The words
92 words
- alliance/əˈlaɪ.əns/noun · B2A union of parties who agree to help each other.
- ambush/ˈæm.bʊʃ/noun · B2A surprise attack from hiding.
- ammunition/ˌæmjuˈnɪʃən/noun · B2The bullets and shells a weapon fires.
- armouredadjective · B2+Protected by heavy plating.
- artillery/ɑːˈtɪləɹi/noun · B2The heavy guns of an army, and those who work them.
- artillery piecenoun · C1One heavy gun of the kind that fires far.
- barracks/ˈbæɹəks/noun · B2+The buildings where soldiers live.
- barrage/ˈbæɹɑːʒ/noun · C1Continuous heavy fire onto one area.
- barrel/ˈbæɹ(ə)l/noun · B1A round wooden container with curved sides.
- basic trainingnoun · B2The first hard weeks that turn a civilian into a soldier.
- battalion/bəˈtæl.i.ən/noun · B2A unit of several hundred soldiers.
- blockade/blɑˈkeɪd/noun · B2+Cutting off supplies to force a surrender.
- breach/ˈbɹiːt͡ʃ/noun · B2A gap forced in a defensive line or wall.
- briefing/ˈbɹiː.fɪŋ/noun · B2+A short meeting that gives people the information they need to act.
- brigade/bɹɪˈɡeɪd/noun · B2A large unit made of several battalions.
- bunker/ˈbʌŋ.kə/noun · B2A reinforced shelter dug into the ground.
- calibre/ˈkæl.ɪ.bə(ɹ)/noun · C1The width of the barrel, and so of the round.
- camouflage/ˈkæ.məˌflɑːʒ/noun · B1+Colors and patterns that make a creature vanish into its background.
- casualty/ˈkaʒʊ.əlti/noun · C1A person hurt or killed in an accident.
- cavalry/ˈkæ.vəl.ɹi/noun · B2Soldiers who once fought on horseback.
- ceasefirenoun · B2+An agreement to stop fighting.
- chain of commandnoun · C1The order of who answers to whom.
- commission/kəˈmɪʃən/noun · C1The formal appointment that makes somebody an officer.
- conscientious objector/ˌkɑnʃiˈɛnʃəs əbˈd͡ʒɛktɚ/noun · C1Somebody who refuses to fight on moral grounds.
- conscript/ˈkɒnskɹɪpt/noun · C1Somebody made to serve by law rather than choice.
- convoy/ˈkɒn.vɔɪ/noun · B2+A group of vehicles or ships travelling under protection.
- counterattacknoun · B2+An attack made in reply to being attacked.
- court martialnoun · C1A military court that tries soldiers.
- demobiliseverb · C2To release troops from service after a war.
- deserter/dɪˈzɜːtə(ɹ)/noun · B2+A soldier who runs away from duty.
- deterrent/dɪˈtɛɹənt/noun · C2Something kept in order to stop an enemy attacking.
- disarmament/dɪsˈɑː(r)məmənt/noun · C1Reducing or giving up weapons by agreement.
- division/dɪˈvɪʒn̩/noun · B1The splitting of something into parts, or a section of an organisation.
- draft/dɹɑːft/noun · B2An early version, not yet finished.
- drill/dɹɪl/noun · B1A repeated exercise for practice or training.
- encircle/ɪnˈsɜːkl̩/verb · B2+To surround an enemy completely.
- engagement/ɪnˈɡeɪd͡ʒ.mənt/noun · C1A fight between opposing forces.
- engineer corpsnoun · C1The soldiers who build bridges and clear obstacles.
- enlist/ɛnˈlɪst/verb · B2+To join the armed forces voluntarily.
- fatigues/fəˈtiːɡz/noun · C1The working uniform soldiers wear day to day.
- flank/flænk/noun · B2+The side of a formation, and its weak point.
- fortification/ˌfɔː(ɹ)tɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/noun · C1Walls and works built to make a place defensible.
- foxholenoun · C1A small pit one or two soldiers fight from.
- frontlinenoun · B2The place where the fighting actually happens.
- garrison/ˈɡæɹ.ɪ.sən/noun · C1The troops stationed in a place to hold it.
- infantry/ˈɪnfəntɹi/noun · B2+Soldiers who fight on foot.
- insignia/ɪnˈsɪɡ.ni.ə/noun · C1The badges that show rank or unit.
- intelligence/ɪnˈtɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒəns/noun · B2Information gathered about an enemy.
- kit/ˈkɪt/noun · B1Everything a soldier carries and wears.
- logistics/ləˈd͡ʒɪstɪks/noun · B2+The planning of how goods and people move where they must go.
- lookout/ˈlʊkaʊt/noun · B2Somebody watching for danger, and the place they watch from.
- magazine/ˌmæɡəˈziːn/noun · A1The glossy weekly or monthly with photos, stories, and interviews.
- mortar/ˈmɔːtə/noun · C1A short tube that lobs shells over obstacles.
- offensive/əˈfɛnsɪv/noun · B2A large planned attack.
- orders/ˈɔː.dəz/noun · B1The instructions a soldier must carry out.
- outflankverb · C1To go round the side of an enemy position.
- outpost/ˈaʊtˌpoʊst/noun · B2+A small position held far from the main force.
- overrun/ˌəʊ.vəˈɹʌn/verb · B2To take a position by sweeping straight over it.
- parade/pəˈɹeɪd/noun · A2A festive procession marching down the street.
- patrol/pəˈtɹəʊl/noun · B1The regular round officers walk or drive to keep watch.
- platoon/pləˈtuːn/noun · B2A small unit of soldiers led by a lieutenant.
- prisoner of war/ˈpɹɪz.(ə).nə əv ˈwɔː/noun · B2A soldier captured and held by the enemy.
- promotion/pɹəˈməʊʃn̩/noun · B2Moving up to a higher position at the same company.
- raid/ɹeɪd/noun · B2A sudden surprise entry by police or soldiers.
- rampart/ˈɹæm.pɑː(ɹ)t/noun · C1A broad defensive bank of earth or stone.
- range/ˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/noun · B2How far a weapon can reach.
- rank/ˈɹæŋk/adjective · B2Offensively strong and stale.
- rationsnoun · B2Fixed portions handed out when supplies are short.
- recoil/ɹɪˈkɔɪl/noun · C1The backward kick a weapon gives when fired.
- reconnaissance/ɹɪˈkɒnɪsəns/noun · C1Going out to see where the enemy is.
- recruit/ɹɪˈkɹut/noun · B2Somebody newly joined and not yet trained.
- regiment/ˈɹɛd͡ʒɪmənt/noun · B2+A large permanent unit of an army.
- regroup/ɹiːˈɡɹuːp/<q:verb>verb · B2To gather and reorganise after a setback.
- reinforce/ˌɹiː.ɪnˈfɔːs/verb · B2+To add strength or support to something existing.
- retreat/ɹɪˈtɹiːt/verb · B2To move back away from danger.
- round/ˈɹaʊ̯nd/adjective · A2Shaped like a ball or a coin.
- salvo/ˈsælvəʊ/noun · C1All the guns firing together, once.
- sentry/ˈsɛn.tɹi/noun · B2+A soldier posted to keep watch.
- shell/ʃɛl/noun · B1The hard outer house of a snail, egg, or nut.
- siege/siːd͡ʒ/noun · B2+Surrounding a place to force it to surrender.
- skirmish/ˈskɜːmɪʃ/noun · C1A small brief fight between advance parties.
- squad/ˈskwɒd/noun · B1The smallest unit of soldiers, working together.
- stronghold/ˈstɹɒŋhəʊld/noun · B2+A place strongly held and hard to take.
- supply linenoun · B2The route along which food and ammunition reach the front.
- surrender/səˈɹɛndə(ɹ)/verb · B1To stop fighting and give yourself up.
- tank/ˈtæŋk/noun · B1A large container for holding liquid or gas.
- trench/ˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/noun · B2The long ditch soldiers lived and fought in.
- truce/tɹuːs/noun · B2A short agreed pause in fighting.
- uniform/ˈjunɪˌfɔɹm/noun · A2The same clothes worn by everyone at a school or in a job.
- veteran/ˈvɛ.tə.ɹən/noun · C1Somebody who has served, especially in a war.
- volley/ˈvɒli/noun · B2+Many shots fired at the same moment.
- withdraw/wɪðˈdɹɔː/verb · B2To move back and away.