turtle

turtle
 n.— «In soldier parlance, they are “turtles”—a Vietnam-era nickname derived from their supposedly slow arrival in theater—or “FNGs,” a slightly more colorful reference to their “[expletive] New Guy” status.» —“Replacements joining units in Iraq finding they’ve got big shoes to fill” by Joseph Giordono in Ramadi, Iraq Stars & Stripes Feb. 6, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

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Further reading

Stub Your Toe (episode #1606)

Advice about college essays from the winner of a top prize for children’s literature: Kelly Barnhill encourages teens to write about experiences that are uniquely their own, from a point of view that is theirs and no one else’s. Plus, why do we say...

If Grandma Had Wheels (episode #1603)

While compiling the Oxford English Dictionary, lexicographer James Murray exchanged hundreds of letters a week with authors, advisors, and volunteer researchers. A new collection online lets you eavesdrop on discussions about which words should be...