Armies {army} can have full-time professional soldiers {standing army} or trained part-time soldiers {reserve army}.
Stamped or inscribed metal {dog tag} can be for identification.
Pipe {peace pipe} sharing can happen at peace ceremonies.
explosion or gunfire noise {report, rifle}.
Physical or mental shock {shell shock} can result from exposure to combat.
Bugle or drum calls {reveille} can wake up troops.
Bugle calls {taps} can be for lights out or for funerals.
Bugle calls {tattoo} can be calls to quarters.
weapon storage building {armory}.
Scottish and French overhanging corner turret {bartizan}.
troop lodgings {billet, lodging}.
field camp {bivouac}.
training camp {boot camp}.
prison {brig}.
gallows {gibbet}.
dining room {mess}.
military general store {Post Exchange} (PX).
two-person tent {pup tent}.
Chest straps {baldric} can hold sword or bugle.
Chest belts {bandoleer} can hold cartridges.
Handle with nine knotted cords {cat-o-nine-tails} can be for whipping.
valor award {oak-leaf cluster}.
short cane with strap {swagger stick}.
repeated marching pattern {drill, army}.
Point weapon {present arms}.
Banner {gonfalon} in frame, or bar with three points, can be for identification.
military-lance banner {pennon}.
flag {standard, flag}.
French flag {tricolor}.
British flag {union jack}.
surrender indicator {white flag, surrender}.
Truces {armistice} can be for negotiating peace treaties.
police van {Black Maria}.
pilot certificate {brevet}.
War {civil war} can be between regions or groups in one country.
military court run by officers {court-martial}.
Informal and quick military trial {drumhead court-martial} can have predetermined outcome.
leave of absence {furlough}.
rebellion against captain {mutiny}.
Wood boards {pillory} can have head and hand holes, to punish people.
draft system {selective service}.
protective metal sheet {armorplate}.
temporary barrier across route {barricade}.
fort-wall indented parapet {battlement}.
chest-high temporary barrier {breastwork}.
ground fortification {bunker}.
Fortresses {citadel} can be on high ground near cities.
mountain fort {fastness}.
Depressions {foxhole} can be dug in ground.
Earth or other barrier {outwork} can be outside better fortifications.
low embankment or wall {parapet}.
chest armor {breastplate}.
small round shield {buckler}.
Upper body armor {chain mail} can have metal links or scales.
Armor plate {greave} can go from knee to ankle.
chain-mail tunic {hauberk}.
food {provisions}.
packaged meal {C ration}.
hard flour and water biscuit {hardtack}.
prepared meal {K ration}.
military equipment and supplies {materiel}.
provisions {provender}.
raider {commando}.
Spanish military leaders {conquistador} were in Mexico and Peru [1500 to 1600].
French policeman {gendarme}.
raider {guerrilla}.
People {gunrunner} can smuggle weapons.
Soldiers {mercenary, soldier} hired to fight can be from another place or group.
military-academy officer-training student {cadet}.
military horseman {cavalier, horseman}.
Roman-century member {centurion}.
European light infantryman {chasseur, infantryman}.
knight {chevalier}.
A small group {color guard} of finely dressed marching soldiers can transport flag.
draftee, or person compelled to serve {conscript}.
south-Russia military horseman {Cossack, horseman}.
World War I American soldier {doughboy}.
highly armed horseman {dragoon}.
ground infantryman {GI}.
regiment member {grenadier}.
European light cavalryman {hussar}.
Turkish guards {janissary} can be in sultan's personal service.
marine {leatherneck}.
French Foreign Legion member {legionnaire}.
medical person {medic}.
musket shooter {musketeer}.
parachute-using soldier {paratrooper}.
military-academy first-year person {plebe}.
Soldiers {scout} can get information about area or enemy.
mercenary {soldier of fortune}.
Nazi militiaman {storm trooper}.
officer assistant to higher officer {aide-de-camp, army}.
officer above colonel {brigadier}.
division or higher leader {chief of staff}.
officer higher than lieutenant colonel {colonel}.
military-post or functional-group leader {commandant}.
trained officer higher than warrant officer {commissioned officer}.
highest-rank European officer {field marshal}.
Army officers {lieutenant} can be below captain. Navy officers can be below lieutenant commander.
officer above captain {major, army}.
military police commander {provost marshal}.
Army officers {quartermaster} can be for food, clothing, and equipment. Navy petty officers can be for navigation.
officer higher than non-commissioned officer but lower than commissioned officer {warrant officer}.
lowest non-commissioned officer {corporal}.
non-commissioned officer {noncom}.
corporal or sergeant {non-commissioned officer} (NCO).
highest non-commissioned officer {sergeant}.
senior non-commissioned officer or master sergeant {topkick}.
lowest commissioned navy officer {ensign}, below lieutenant.
officer commanding fleet or navy {admiral}, second highest rank.
naval officer higher than lieutenant commander {commander}.
most senior naval-squadron captain {commodore}, or officer below rear admiral.
navy non-commissioned officer {petty officer}.
officer higher than captain {rear admiral}.
navy clerical petty officer {yeoman of the guard}.
naval court {admiralty}.
four infantry or artillery companies {battalion}.
several battalions {brigade}.
military horsemen and horses, or armored vehicles and soldiers {cavalry}.
line of soldiers {column, soldier}.
specialized military branch {corps, army}, such as Marine Corps.
unit of corps {division, soldier}.
military-post soldiers {garrison, soldier}.
Nazi secret police {Gestapo}.
local army {militia}|.
10 rows of men with pikes {phalanx}.
Company units {platoon} can have two or more squads.
rear guard {rear echelon}.
fighting to secure retreat {rearguard action}.
exploring area for military information {reconnaissance}.
two or more battalions {regiment}.
not a corps {regular army}.
lead attackers {shock troops}.
Planes or vessels {squadron} can have two or more divisions.
projectile structure, function, and effects {ballistics}.
policy of keeping enemy within current borders {containment}.
battlefield or dueling ground {field of honor}.
riflemen facing enemy {firing line}.
threat {mailed fist}.
policy of using military force {militarism}.
Soldiers can advance around right and left enemy flanks {pincer}.
deceptive or surprise movement {stratagem}.
practice battle {war game}.
weapon {armament}.
available weapons {arsenal}.
Missiles {ballistic missile} can ascend under power and then glide on trajectory to target.
Backward points {barb on weapon} can be on weapons.
heavy ax {battleax} {battleaxe}.
rocket firer {bazooka}.
Metal shaped to fit over fingers {brass knuckles} can strike people.
Sharp spikes, jacks, or spurs {caltrop} can be in ground to injure charging horses, as used by Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn.
burning fuel shooter {flame-thrower}.
Small bombs {grenade, bomb} can have a fuse, to throw or launch.
A falling blade can cut off heads {guillotine}.
Handles can have a metal spiked ball {mace, weapon}.
Bombs can have same explosive power as one million tons of dynamite {megaton}.
Devices {range finder} can measure distance for artillery.
shell fragments or metal balls {shrapnel}.
cannons {artillery}.
cannon set {battery, gun}.
high shooting cannon {howitzer}.
roofed concrete hut for machine gun {pillbox}.
Cylinders {trunnion} on middle cannon side can rest in U-shaped holders to pivot cannon up or down.
Rotating tank tops {turret}, or ship domes, can contain large guns.
ammunition storage area {magazine}.
ammunition and guns {munitions}.
weapons and ammunition {ordnance}.
Cones {powder horn} can hold gunpowder.
Barrels {powder keg} can hold gunpowder.
Ammunition boxes or ammunition wagons {caisson} can have two wheels and a horse.
Vehicles can have front wheels and front back caterpillar tracks {half-track}.
armed tank {panzer}.
Large crossbows {ballista} can throw large balls.
Arrow holders with bow affixed {cross bow} can allow pulling back string and holding it until released manually.
short wood club {billy}.
short leather-clad club {blackjack, weapon}.
short thick club {cudgel}.
police club {nightstick}.
long wood pole {quarterstaff}.
Irish club {shillelagh}.
short police stick {truncheon}.
anti-aircraft fire {ack-ack}.
barrage {ambuscade}.
multiply fired cannon or missiles {barrage}.
firing all guns on one side {broadside, ship}.
continual artillery fire {cannonade}.
anti-aircraft fire {flak, gunfire}.
near simultaneous rifle or cannon firing {fusillade}.
simultaneous fire from a gun set {salvo}.
airplane or helicopter machine gun firing {strafe}.
sequential rifle or rocket firing {volley}.
A hammer hits a chemical {fulminate, material} that ignites on impact {gun}. Fulminate ignites gunpowder behind bullet {firing, gun}. Expanding gas pushes bullet. Bullet goes down tube {barrel, gun}, which has spiral grooves {rifling, gun} to spin bullet. Longer barrel is more accurate and gives more distance. Fulminate, gunpowder, and bullet can be separate. Bullet can be in shell filled with powder, with percussion cap containing fulminate on back {cartridge, bullet}.
Guns {riot gun} can have plastic or rubber bullets and low power.
Smoothbore guns {shotgun} can shoot pellets.
small American pistol {derringer}.
0.45-caliber pistol {forty-five}.
high-caliber pistol {magnum, handgun}.
0.38-caliber pistol {thirty-eight}.
0.32-caliber pistol {thirty-two}.
0.22-caliber pistol {twenty-two}.
pistol assembled at home {zip gun}.
Short muskets {blunderbuss} can have a wide opening, to shoot shot over a wide area.
In guns {breechloader}|, bullet and powder can be separately put into barrel back end {breech, gun}. It became obsolete after cartridges began.
In old muzzle-loading rifle {flintlock}|, using flintlock, hammer struck flint, sparks went through hole in barrel back, and gunpowder ignited. Alternatively, hammer with flint tip hit metal plate {frizzen}, and sparks exploded powder in pan [1600 to 1700].
lighted match explodes powder in pan [1350 to 1400], or muzzle-loading rifle using matchlock {matchlock}.
Rifles {musket} can have a long smooth-bore barrel.
Shooter pushes bullet and charge down muzzle to make it ready to fire {muzzleloader}.
repeating rifle or gun {automatic weapon}.
machine gun {burp gun}.
early machine gun {Gattling gun}.
Guns {semiautomatic weapon} can fire repeatedly or fire manually in single shots.
shoulder-fired machine gun {submachine gun}.
0.45-caliber submachine gun {tommy gun}.
Guns {air rifle} can use compressed air.
Clip, magazine, or belt can automatically feed cartridges to gun {automatic rifle}| {machine gun}. Automatic guns can shoot hundreds of shots {round, gun} per minute. Power of exploding powder ejects shell and inserts new cartridge.
short-barrel rifle {carbine}.
Guns {rifle, weapon}| can have long barrels and use cartridges. Cartridges load one at time.
Clip, magazine, or belt can manually feed cartridges into gun {Springfield rifle}|.
rifle-end knife {bayonet}.
A sliding bar {bolt, rifle} can eject an empty cartridge and put in a new cartridge.
gun barrel inside {bore}.
rifle or pistol handle {butt, rifle}.
gun-barrel inside diameter {caliber}.
sight horizontal and vertical strings {cross hairs}.
Bolt tip {firing pin} can hit primer.
small iron cannon balls {grapeshot}.
Triggers {hair-trigger} can fire with light touch.
barrel front {muzzle, gun}.
small metal ball {BB}.
cartridge with no bullet {blank}.
Small lead balls {buckshot} can be in shotgun shells.
Soft bullets {dumdum} can expand on contact.
Bullets {sabot} can be in plastic jackets.
Bullets {tracer} can have lights to show enemy positions.
Long hunting knives {bowie knife} can have one edge.
Large broad-blade knives {machete} can cut vegetables.
knife {shiv}.
Folding knives {switchblade} can swing open by a spring.
Turkish curved one-edge long knife {yataghan}.
dagger {dirk}.
dagger {poniard}.
small dagger {stiletto}.
mine {claymore}.
Boats can drops mines {depth charge} into water to hit submarines.
Ropes {bola} can have weights at ends, to trip animals.
heavy long whip {bullwhip}.
Strangulation {garrote} {garrotte} can be by wire or iron collar.
lasso {lariat}.
Ropes {lasso} can have an adjustable noose.
Long handles can have an ax blade and a spike [1400 to 1600] {halberd}.
Long handles can have a metal point {lance, weapon}.
Long spears or handles can have a metal point {pike, weapon}.
pike on staff {pikestaff}.
Handles can have three large tines {trident}.
small sharp-pointed double-edge sword {bilbo}.
Philippine heavy machete {bolo}.
Swords {broadsword} can have a wide double-edged blade.
sword {cuirass}.
short thick curved sword {cutlass}.
straight or curved short broad one-edged sword {falchion}.
sword or knife handle {haft, sword}.
Sword or knife handle part {hilt} can be next to blade.
double-edge sword {rapier}.
dagger or sword sheath {scabbard}.
Near-Eastern curved sword {scimitar}.
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Description of Outline of Knowledge Database
Date Modified: 2022.0225