green card soldier n.— «There are tens of thousands of foreign-born members in the U.S. armed forces. Many have been naturalized, but more than 20,000 are not U.S. citizens. “Green card soldiers,” they are often called, and early in the war, Bush...
ground-owner n.— «During the war in Iraq, young Army and Marine captains have become American viceroys, officers with large sectors to run and near-autonomy to do it. In military parlance, they are the “ground-owners.” In practice, they are power...
Grant recommends two books that are great for giving as gifts. FUBAR: Soldier Sland of World War II by Gordon Rottman looks at the language of soldiers from different armies. Also, Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin by Nicholas Ostler, which looks...
vulture fund n.— «The government says it is still recovering from a devastating war and faces a new problem: Western investors, sensing a chance to rake in millions, are suing to recover old debts that they bought for pennies on the dollar. Such...
It’s a brand-new season here on A Way with Words! To celebrate, Martha and Grant are noodling with anagrams— including the one in the title of this episode. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Wit’s War” You’re listening to A Way with...
magic carpet duty n.— «As the war ended, the Munda was used for what was known as, “Magic Carpet Duty,” picking up soldiers and taking them home.» —“Four WWII veterans recall experiences” by Keith Lansdale Daily Sentinel (Nacodoches, Texas) Nov...