helicopter engagement n.— «Later Rasheed, dressed in a floor-length black overcoat, held three town meetings where Haditha residents begged for help from the provincial government, based in Ramadi. The sessions were part of what the...
flotsamist n.— «Where and when something reaches shore depends mainly on weight, wind, and currents. Experts can study flotsam—driftwood, in particular—that help them understand ocean currents and weather patterns. Nature also provides...
yo-yoing n.— «In the wake of a controversy that engulfed the Derby this fall, two respected Island organizations have asked the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to ban a fishing method known as yo-yoing…a fishing...
day soldier n.— «But they will continue to provide insurgents, I’m sure. What has to happen here is to drive a wedge between the extremist leadership and what I call the “day soldiers,” [insurgents] those who sign up not...
mommy factor n.— «With U.S. soldiers and Marines now serving 15-month combat tours, with casualties on the increase, and with deployments to a combat zone a virtual certainty for new soldiers, military experts blame the “Mommy...
shorty n.— «Andrew returned to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to be fitted for his first prostheses. These “stubbies” or “shorties,” as they are called, are only about a foot in length and are...