Dictionary of Military Terms

perature below zero The wind-chill factor is dangerously high at the moment.

windscreen / w ndskri n/ noun the glass window in the front of a vehicle

(NOTE: The American English term is windshield.)

windshield / w ndʃi ld/ noun US same as windscreen

wing /w ŋ/ noun 1. a thin horizontal structure extending from either side of an aircraft, in order to support it in flight 2. an air-force grouping of several squadrons

wing commander / w ŋ kə mɑ ndə/ noun a senior officer in the air force, above a squadron leader (usually in command of a wing). Abbr W/Cdr

wingman / w ŋm n/ noun the pilot of the other aircraft, when you are flying as a pair My wingman was hit by a surface-to-air missile.

wipe out / wa p aυt/ verb to kill all the members of a grouping B Company has been almost wiped out. (NOTE: This verb is normally used in the passive.)

wire / wa ə/ noun a cord-like material made of metal

wire-cutters / wa ə k təz/ plural noun a special type of scissors used for cutting through barbed wire He dropped his wire-cutters. Remember to bring a pair of wire-cutters. (NOTE: Wire-cutters, like scissors, are always plural and come in pairs or sets.) wire-guided missile / wa ə (a d dm sa l/ noun a missile, which remains connected to its firing post by a length of wire, through which signals are transmitted in order to control its flight onto the target

wireless / wa ələs/ noun an obsolete term for a radio

wiring party / wa ər ŋ pɑ ti/ noun a detachment of soldiers sent out to construct or repair a barbed-wire obstacle withdraw /w ð drɔ / verb 1. to move away from the enemy B Company is withdrawing. 2. to move back towards your own forces or territory The ene-

my withdrew across the border. retire, retreat (NOTE: withdrawing – withdrew – have withdrawn)

COMMENT: The word retreat is normally used when one is forced to move back (for example, because one has been defeated or your position has become untenable), whereas retire or withdraw imply rearward movement as part of a planned manoeuvre or in order to occupy a better position. Consequently, retire or withdraw are sometimes used instead of retreat because they sound more positive.

withdrawal /w ð drɔ əl/ noun an act of withdrawing

within visual range /w ð n v %υəlre nd%/ adjective, adverb full form of

WVR

without delay /w ðaυt d le / adverb immediately

WMD abbreviation weapon(s) of mass destruction

WO1 abbreviation warrant officer first class

WO2 abbreviation warrant officer second class

wood /wυd/ noun 1. an area of ground covered by trees We spent the night in a wood. 2. a material obtained from trees The handguard is made of wood.

wooden / wυd(ə)n/ adjective made of wood

woodland / wυdlənd/ noun terrain consisting mainly of woods or forest working parts / w$ k ŋ pɑ ts/ plural noun the internal mechanism (usually consisting of several different parts) of an automatic or semi-automatic weapon, which moves backwards and forwards to cock the weapon, feed a round into the breech, fire the round and extract the empty cartridge case On the command ‘Unload!’, remove the magazine, pull the working-parts to the rear several times and then look inside.

World Food Programme / w$ ldfu d prəυ(r m/ noun full form of

WFP

World Health Organization

/ w$ ld helθ ɔ (əna ze ʃ(ə)n/ noun full form of WHO

wound /wu nd/ noun serious injury, usually involving a cut or other penetration of the skin and flesh He has a shrapnel wound to his leg. He died of his wounds. verb to inflict a wound

He was wounded in the leg.

wounded / wu nd d/ adjective suffering from a wound Wounded soldiers were removed to the field hospital. noun the wounded people who have received a wound The wounded were removed from the battlefield.

WP abbreviation white phosphorus wreck /rek/ noun 1. the accidental destruction of a ship (usually by running onto rocks) Here is the report on the wreck of HMS Ardent. 2. the remains of a ship which has been wrecked Most of the cargo was removed from the wreck. 3. the remains of a destroyed or

badly damaged aircraft or vehicle We took cover behind a tank wreck. verb to destroy or badly damage an aircraft, ship or vehicle The ship has been wrecked. We took cover behind a wrecked tank.

wreckage / rek d%/ noun pieces of an aircraft, ship or vehicle which has been wrecked

Wren /ren/ noun a female member of the Royal Navy (informal)

WSO abbreviation weapon systems officer

WVR / d b(ə)lju vi ɑ / adjective, adverb close enough to an enemy aircraft to see it with the naked eye We’ll need WVR missiles. Full form within visual range. Compare BVR

XO abbreviation US executive officer X-ray1 / eks re / noun the twentyfourth letter of the phonetic alphabet (Xx)

X-ray2 / eks re / noun 1. electromagnetic radiation of a very short wave-

length, which is able to pass through the human body and can thus produce photographs of internal injuries 2. a X-ray photograph You will need a chest X- ray. verb to produce an X-ray photograph We will have to X-ray your leg.

YAK-38 / j k θ$ ti e t/ noun a Sovi- et-designed multirole fighter aircraft with a vertical take-off capability, designed to operate from aircraft carriers

(NOTE: known to NATO as Forger)

YAK-41 / j k fɔ t w n/ noun a Sovi- et-designed multirole fighter aircraft with a vertical take-off capability, designed to operate from aircraft carriers

(NOTE: known to NATO as Freestyle)

Yank /j ŋk/ noun an American soldier

(informal)

Yankee / j ŋki/ noun the twenty-fifth letter of the phonetic alphabet (Yy)

yard /jɑ d/ noun 1. a unit of linear measure corresponding to 3 feet or 0.9144 metres There are 1,760 yards in a mile. 2. an area of enclosed ground attached to a building The vehicles were parked in the yard next to HQ.

yd abbreviation yard (NOTE: The plural form is yds.)

yeoman / jəυm(ə)n/ noun 1. a petty officer in charge of signals 2. US a petty officer responsible for clerical duties

yeomanry / jəυmənri/ noun a unit of volunteer cavalry (historical)

COMMENT: Certain armoured regiments in the Territorial Army (TA) retain their historical title of Yeomanry.

yield /ji ld/ noun the amount of explosive power produced by a nuclear weapon verb to yield ground to withdraw, to go back from The brigade was forced to yield the high ground in front of Skalice.

COMMENT: The explosive yield of nuclear weapons is measured in kilotons or megatons.

Y-junction / wa d% ŋkʃ(ə)n/ noun a place where a single road divides into two. fork

yob /jɒb/, yobbo / jɒbəυ/ noun an unsophisticated youth or young man, who behaves in a rude, inconsiderate and often aggressive manner (slang) The patrol was attacked by a crowd of yobs. We’ve been getting a lot of aggro from the local yobbos.

yomp /jɒmp/ (slang) noun a long march across country verb to march across country, usually a long distance

youth /ju θ/ noun a person of an approximate age between 13 and 18 years

The patrol was attacked by a crowd of youths. (NOTE: The plural form is youths /ju ðz/.)

zap /z p/ verb US to shoot dead

(slang) He zapped three of the enemy.

zariba /zə ri bə/ noun Arabic a defensive enclosure made from pieces of thorn bush The guerrilla base was protected by a thick zariba.

zed bag / zed b (/ noun a sleeping bag

zero / z ərəυ/ noun a figure 0 (nought or nil) verb to ensure that a weapon is accurate, by firing a few rounds at a target and then adjusting the sights as required 3 Section are zeroing their weapons.

Zeus-23 / zju s twent θri / noun US an informal nickname for the Soviet-de- signed ZSU-23–4 self-propelled antiaircraft gun

zilch /z ltʃ/ noun US nothing (slang)

We observed the bridge for six hours but saw zilch.

zone /zəυn/ noun an area or region which has some specific importance or purpose

ZSU noun a Soviet-designed series of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

ZSU-23–4 noun a 1960s-era weapon, fitted with four radar-controlled 23mm cannon (NOTE: The Russian nickname for this is the Shilka.)

Zulu / zu lu / noun the twenty-sixth letter of the phonetic alphabet (Zz)

zulu muster / zu lu m stə/ noun the location in the field where vehicles are kept when not in use

Zulu time / zu lu ta m/ noun Greenwich Mean Time (GMT); that is, the local time on the meridian at Greenwich, London, which is used to calculate international time H-Hour at 0600Z

COMMENT: Greenwich Mean Time or Zulu time is used by NATO forces on operations.

Zuni / zu ni/ noun an American-de- signed unguided rocket, designed to be fired by an aircraft at a ground target