Glossary – Day-By-Day America

Unusual Words and Unfamiliar Definitions

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Symbols Sources

A

Abandoned: Given up, as to a vice; hence, extremely wicked, or sinning without restraint; irreclaimably wicked. (ADEL)
Aid-de-camp: An officer selected by a general to carry orders; also to represent him in correspondence and in directing movements. (MDG)
Amuse: To detain; to engage the attention by hope or expectation; as, to amuse one by flattering promises. (ADEL)
Apothecary: Pharmacist.
Aspersion: A damaging remark.

B

Bateau or batteau (plural bateaux or batteaux): A flat-bottomed boat with tapering ends, it was adapted for American rivers. Most bateaux were built of plank and moved by oars, poles, or square sails. (EAR)
Battery: A battery consists of two or more pieces of artillery in the field. The term battery also implies the implacement of ordnance destined to act offensively or defensively. It also refers to the company charged with a certain number of pieces of ordnance. (MDG)
Bb: Barrels.
Beating: In navigation, the operation of making a progress at sea against the direction of the wind, in a zig-zag line, or traverse, like that in which we ascend a steep hill. (UDM)
Between wind and water: The part of a ship that is just below the waterline and is sometimes exposed.
Big (with): The phrase “big with” is similar to “full of”; for example, saying that an event was “big with consequences” meant that the event would have major consequences.
Bomb-proof: (noun or adjective) A term applied to military structures of such immense thickness and strength that bombs cannot penetrate them. (MDG)
Bounty: A premium offered or given, to induce men to enlist into the public service; or to encourage any branch of industry, as husbandry, manufactures or commerce. (ADEL)
Brig, or brigantine: A merchant-ship with two masts. This term is not universally confined to vessels of a particular construction, or which are masted and rigged in a method different from all others. It is variously applied, by the mariners of different European nations, to a peculiar sort of vessel of their own marine. Amongst English seamen, this vessel is distinguished by having her main-sail set nearly in the plane of her keel; whereas the main-sails of larger ships are hung athwart, or at right angles with the ship’s length, and fastened to a yard which hangs parallel to the deck: but in a brig, the foremost edge of the main-sail is fastened in different places to hoops which encircle the main-mast, and slide up and down it as the sail is hoisted or lowered: it is extended by a gaff above, and by a boom below. (UDM)
Bring to: In navigation, to check the course of a ship when she is advancing, by arranging the sails in such a manner as that they shall counter-act each other, and prevent her either from retreating or moving forward. In this situation the ship is said to lie-by, or lie-to, having, according to the sea-phrase, some of her sails aback, to oppose the force of those which are full; or having them otherwise shortened by being furled, or hauled up in the brails. Bringing-to, is generally used to detain a ship in any particular station, in order to wait the approach of some other that may be advancing towards her: or to retard her course occasionally near any port in the course of a voyage. (UDM)
Broadside: 1. A discharge of all the guns on one side of a ship, above and below, at the same time. 2. The side of a ship, above the water, from the bow to the quarter. 3. In printing, a sheet of paper containing one large page, or printed on one side only. (ADEL)

C

Cable: A large, strong rope of a considerable length, used to retain a ship at anchor in a road, bay, or haven. (UDM)
Cable’s length: A measure of 120 fathoms, or of the usual length of the cable. (UDM)
Caboose: 1. The cook-room or kitchen of a ship. In smaller vessels, it is an inclosed fire-place, hearth or stove for cooking, on the main deck. IN a ship of war, the cook room is called a galley. 2. A box that covers the chimney in a ship. (ADEL)
Caltrop: An instrument with 4 iron points, so disposed that, three of them being on the ground, the other projects upward. They are scattered on the ground where an enemy’s cavalry are to pass, to impede their progress by endangering the horses’ feet. (MDG)
Capacious: Wide; large; that will hold much. (ADEL)
Carcass: In gunnery, is a spherical shell having three additional holes, of the same dimensions as the fuze-hole, pierced at equal distances apart in the upper hemisphere of the shell, and filled with a composition which burns with intense power from 8 to 10 minutes, and the flame issuing from the holes sets fire to everything combustible within its reach; it is used in bombardments, setting fire to shipping, etc., and is projected from cannon like a cannon-shell. (MDG)
Carriage: A gun-carriage is designed to support its piece when fired, and also to transport cannon from one point to another. (MDG)
Carriage gun: An artillery piece mounted on a carriage.
Cartel: As a military term it is used to denote an agreement between two belligerents for the exchange of prisoners. (MDG)
Cashier: To dismiss from the service with ignominy. An officer thus dismissed is understood to be excluded from the service thereafter. (MDG)
Censure: The act of blaming or finding fault and condemning as wrong; applicable to the moral conduct, or to the works of men. When applied to persons, it is nearly equivalent to blame, reproof, reprehension, reprimand. It is an expression of disapprobation, which often implies reproof. (ADEL)
Chandelier: In military engineering, a wooden frame, which was filled with fascines. (MDG)
Cheval de frise (plural cheavaux de frise): A piece of timber traversed with wooden spikes, pointed with iron, 5 or 6 feet long, used to defend a passage, stop a breach, or make a retrenchment to stop cavalry. (MDG)
Circular (noun): A letter addressed to multiple people.
Commodore: A general officer in the British marine, invested with the command of a detachment of ships of war destined on any particular enterprise; during which time he bears the rank of brigadier-general in the army, and is distinguished from the inferior ships of his squadron by a broad red pendant tapering towards the outer-end, and sometimes forked. (UDM)
Concerned: Interested; engaged; having a connection with that which may affect the interest, welfare or happiness. (ADEL)
Concert (verb): To contrive and settle by mutual communication of opinions or propositions; to settle or adjust, as a plan or system to be pursued, by conference or agreement of two or more parties. (ADEL)
Confusion: In a general sense, a mixture of several things promiscuously; hence, disorder; irregularity; as the confusion of tongues at Babel. Tumult; a want of order in society. A blending or confounding; indistinct combination…. Abashment; shame. Astonishment; agitation; perturbation; distraction of mind. Overthrow; defeat; ruin. (ADEL)
Consonant (adj.): Agreeing; according; congruous; consistent (ADEL)
Contest: Strife; struggle for victory, superiority, or in defense; struggle in arms [i.e., war]. (ADEL)
Crows-foot: An implement of metal with four points, so formed that, in whatever way it falls, there is one point upward; intended to injure the feet of horses; a caltrop. (MDG)

D

d: Penny, or pence. It was originally an abbreviation for the Latin word denarius, which was the name of an ancient Roman coin. It is still used to indicate nail sizes; for example, a 10d (10-penny) nail is about three inches long.
Dearness: Scarcity; high price, or a higher price than the customary one. (ADEL)
Design: Purpose; intention; aim; implying a scheme or plan in the mind. (ADEL)
Designing: Artful; insidious; intriguing; contriving schemes of mischief; hence, deceitful. (ADEL)
Despatch: An alternate spelling of dispatch. “With despatch” (or dispatch) means “quickly,” or “with haste.”
Drachma: The eighth part of an ounce, or sixty grains, or three scruples; a weight used by apothecaries, but usually written dram. (ADEL)
Draught: A drink.
Droll: Comical.

E

Emanation: That which issues, flows or proceeds from any source, substance or body. (ADEL)
Engagement: A general action or battle, whether by land or sea. (MDG)
Engross: To copy in a large hand; to write a fair, correct copy, in large or distinct, legible characters, for preservation or duration; as records of public acts, on paper or parchment. (ADEL)
Epocha: A memorable date or event.
Esculent: Eatable.
Execution: Performance; the act of completing or accomplishing…. The last act of the law in the punishment of criminals; capital punishment; death inflicted according to the forms of law…. Effect; something done or accomplished…. Destruction; slaughter. (ADEL)
Exercise: The practice of all those motions and actions, together with the whole management of arms, which are essential to the perfection of a soldier, and the rendering him fit for service. (MDG)

F

Fascine: A long cylindrical fagot [i.e., bundle] of brushwood. (MDG)
Field gun or field piece: A small cannon which is carried along with armies, and used in the field of battle. (MDG)
Fire-bucket: A bucket to convey water for extinguishing fires. (MDG)
Fire-ship: An old vessel filled with combustible materials, and fitted with grappling-irons to hook, and set fire to, the enemies ships in battle, &c. (UDM)
Flags: A name used for several kinds of plants, including cattails.
Flip: A mixed liquor consisting of beer and spirit sweetened. (ADEL)
Flying Camp: A camp or body of troops formed for rapid motion from one place to another. (MDG)
Forenoon: Morning.
Fusee: A misspelling of fusil.
Fusil: A light musket or firelock. (ADEL)

G

Galley: A kind of low flat-built vessel, furnished with one deck, and navigated with sails and oars. (UDM)
General officers: Are all officers whose authority extends beyond the immediate command of a regiment, and who have either separate districts or departments at home, or commands on foreign service. (MDG)
Genius: Nature; disposition; peculiar character; as the genius of the times. (ADEL)
Grain: A small weight, or the smallest weight ordinarily used, being the twentieth part of the scruple in apothecaries’ weight. (ADEL)
Grapeshot: A cluster of small shot, confined in a canvas bag, forming a kind of cylinder, whose diameter is equal to that of the ball adapted to the cannon. (ADEL)
Grenadier: Originally a soldier who was employed in throwing hand-grenades, but in some [later] armies a member of the first company of every battalion of foot, in which the tallest and finest men of the regiment are placed. (MDG)
Grog: A mixture of spirit and water not sweetened. (ADEL)
Guinea: A gold coin valued at one and twenty shillings. (JDEL)
Gun: Generally speaking, the word “gun” was used to refer to cannon, while the word “arms” was used to refer to muskets, pistols, etc.

H

Hanger: A short broadsword, incurvated toward the point. (MDG)
Howitzer: A short, light cannon, having a chamber intended to throw large projectiles with comparatively small charges. A howitzer is of larger caliber than a gun of like weight; is mounted in a similar manner, and is used for shorter ranges. (MDG)
Hull: (verb) To hull a ship, is to fire cannon-balls into her hull within the point-blank range. (UDM)

I

Invalid: A person who is infirm, wounded, maimed, or otherwise disabled for active service; a soldier or seaman worn out in service. (ADEL)

J

Jacobites: This name was given to those who, at the English revolution in 1688, adhered to the cause of the dethroned James II. In Ireland the adherents of the Stuarts rose in rebellion, but were vanquished by force of arms. In Scotland attempts were made in 1715 and 1745 by the descendants and adherents of James II. to expel the house of Hanover. Both were unsuccessful, and involved the ruin of many noble families. (MDG)

K

Ketch: A vessel equipped with two masts, viz. the main-mast and mizen-mast, and usually from 100 to 250 tons burthen. Ketches are principally used as yachts, or as bomb-vessels…the latter are used to bombard citadels, or towns, or other fortresses. (UDM)
Kibee: A flaw produced in the bore of a gun by a shot striking against it. (MDG)

L

Lanch or launch: A kind of boat, longer, lower, and more flat-bottomed than a long boat. (ADEL)
Langrage or langrel: A villainous kind of shot, consisting of various fragments of iron bound together, so as to fit the bore of the cannon from which it is to be discharged. (MDG)
Leeward: Towards the lee, or that part towards which the wind blows; opposed to windward. (ADEL)
Letter of marque or letter of mart: A commission granted by the lords of the admiralty, or by the vice-admiral of any distant province, to the commander of a merchant-ship, or privateer, to cruize against, and make prizes of, the enemy’s ships and vessels, either at sea, or in their harbours. (UDM) The term can also refer to a ship that has such authorization.
Life-guard: A guard of the life or person; a guard that attends the person of a prince, or other high officer or dignitary; a body-guard. (MDG)
Light Horse: All mounted soldiers that are lightly armed and accoutred for active and desultory service, may be considered under this term. Thus light dragoons, hussars, mounted riflemen, etc., are strictly speaking light horse. (MDG)
Light Infantry: A body of armed men selected and trained for rapid evolutions; often employed to cover and assist other troops. (MDG)
Light Troops: By this term is generally meant all troops which are lightly accoutred for detached service. (MDG)
Longboat: The largest and strongest boat belonging to any ship. It is principally employed to carry great burthens, as anchors, cables, ballast, &c. (UDM)
Lying: In nautical terms, this basically means “anchored.”
Lying-to, or Lying-by: The situation of a ship when she is retarded in her course, by arranging the sails in such a manner as to counteract each other with nearly an equal effort, and render the ship almost immoveable, with respect to her progressive motion, or head-way. A ship is usually brought-to by the main and fore-top-sails, one of which is laid aback, whilst the other is full; so that the latter pushes the ship forward, whilst the former resists this impulse, by forcing her astern. This is particularly practised in a general engagement, when the hostile fleets are drawn up in two lines of battle opposite each other. It is also used to wait for some other ship, either approaching or expected; or to avoid pursuing a dangerous course, especially in dark or foggy weather, &c. (UDM)

M

Magazine: A word derived from the Arabic, makhzan, “store-house,” means any place where stores are kept; but as a military expression, it always means a store-house for powder, although arms may at times be kept in it. In military structures the magazines must be bomb-proof, and therefore necessitate very thick walls; they must be quite free from damp, and should admit sufficient daylight to render the use of lanterns within generally unnecessary. The entrance is protected by shot-proof traverses, lest an opening should be forced by ricochet shots. (MDG)
Man of war (man-o’-war): A general term for a good-sized warship.
Marquee, or Markee: An outer fly, or roof-cloth of a tent; also, a large field-tent. (MDG)
Mean: Wanting dignity; low in rank or birth…Wanting dignity of mind; low minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless…Contemptible; despicable…Of little value; low in worth or estimation; worthy of little or no regard. (ADEL)
Messrs: [French, plural of monsieur.] Sirs, gentlemen. (JDEL)
Mortar: Short cannon for throwing shells, usually fired at angles from 45° to 60° elevation, called “vertical fire,” in contradistinction to the fire of long cannon, usually made at low angles. (MDG)
Muster master: One who takes an account of troops, and of their arms and other military apparatus. (MDG)
Musquet: An alternate spelling of musket.

N

N.B. (nota bene): Latin for “note well.” Used for calling attention to something important in a document.
Nitre: Potassium nitrate or saltpetre, the most important ingredient of gunpowder. (MDG)
Nuncupative: Verbal, not written. A nuncupative will or testament is one which is made by the verbal declaration of the testator, and depends merely on oral testimony for proof, though afterwards reduced to writing. (ADEL)

O

Opprobrium: Reproach mingled with contempt or disdain. (ADEL)
Orderly book: A book for the sergeants to insert the orders which are issued from time to time. (MDG)
Ordnance: A general name for all kinds of weapons employed in war, and the appliances necessary for their use….Technically speaking, ordnance is a term applied to all heavy fire-arms which are discharged from carriages. (MDG)

P

Packet or packet-boat: A dispatch-vessel; a ship or other vessel employed by government to convey letters from country to country or from port to port. (ADEL)
Parade: (noun) Signifies in its original sense a prepared ground, and was applied to the court-yard of a castle, or to any inclosed and level plain. From the practice of reviewing troops at such a spot, the review itself has acquired the name of parade. (MDG)
Parade: (verb) To assemble troops in a uniform manner for the purpose of regular muster, exercise, and inspection. (MDG)
Pedantic: Ostentatious of learning; vainly displaying or making a show of knowledge. (ADEL)
Picket: A guard posted in front of an army to give notice of the approach of the enemy. (ADEL)
Play (on or upon): To fire on something or someone.
Pounder: In terms of artillery, this refers to the size of cannonball that a gun could shoot. A 12-pounder cannon, for example, fired a cannonball that weighed 12 pounds. (The gun itself, of course, was much heavier; a 12-pounder might be 9 feet long and weigh about 3,000 pounds.)
Precipitation: Great hurry; rash, tumultuous haste; rapid movement. (ADEL)
Privateer: A vessel of war, armed and equipped by particular merchants, and furnished with a military commission by the admiralty, or the officers who superintend the marine department of a country, to cruize against the enemy, and take, sink, or burn their shipping, or otherwise annoy them as opportunity offers. (UDM)
Prize: A vessel taken from the enemy by a ship of war, privateer, or armed merchantman. (UDM)
Provost Marshal: In the army, is an officer appointed to superintend the preservation of order, and to be, as it were, the head of the police of any particular camp, town, or district. He has cognizance of all camp-followers, as well as members of the army. His power is summary, and he can punish an offender, taken flagrante delicto [i.e., red-handed], on the spot, according to the articles of war. (MDG)
Pusillanimous: Destitute of that strength and firmness of mind which constitutes courage, bravery and fortitude; being of weak courage; mean spirited; cowardly. (ADEL)

Q

Quarter: In war, signifies the sparing of the life of a vanquished enemy, which by the laws of war is forfeit to the victor. The expression seems to be derived from the use of the word “quarter” to designate the lodging of the particular warrior; to give quarter to a prisoner being to send him to his captor’s quarter for liberation, ransom, or slavery. The refusal of quarter is a terrible aggravation of the horrors of war, and is only at all justifiable towards an enemy who has been guilty of atrocious cruelty himself, or of some flagrant breach of faith. (MDG)
Quarters: In military affairs, are, generally, the positions assigned to persons or bodies of men. In a more special sense, the quarters in the army are the places of lodging assigned to officers or men when not actually on duty. (MDG)

R

Recruit: 1. To gain new supplies of any thing wasted; to gain flesh, health, spirits, &c.; as, lean cattle recruit in fresh pastures. 2. To gain new supplies of men; to raise new soldiers. (ADEL)
Reduce: To oblige the commander [of a place] to surrender. (MDG)
Regulars: Troops whose conditions of enrollment are not limited to time or place, in contradistinction to militia or volunteer corps; troops permanently in service. (MDG)
Repair: To go to; to betake one’s self; to resort; as, to repair to a sanctuary for safety. (ADEL)
Report: Sound; noise; as the report of a pistol or cannon. (ADEL)
Reprobate: To disapprove with detestation or marks of extreme dislike; to disallow; to reject. It expresses more than disapprove or disallow. We disapprove of slight faults and improprieties; we reprobate what is mean or criminal. (ADEL)
Retire: To withdraw; to retreat. (ADEL)
Review: An examination or inspection of troops under arms, by a general or commander, for the purpose of ascertaining the state of their discipline, equipments, etc. (MDG)
Rod: An instrument for measuring; but more generally, a measure of length containing five years, or sixteen feet and a half; a pole; a perch. (ADEL)
Rout: The confusion created in an army or body of troops when defeated or dispersed. To put to the rout, is to defeat and throw into confusion. The term expresses more than a defeat, because it implies a dispersion of the enemy’s forces; for a defeated enemy may retreat in good order; but when routed, order and discipline are at an end. (MDG)

S

s: Shillings (a monetary unit).
Schooner: A small vessel with two masts, whose main-sail and fore-sail are suspended from gaffs reaching from the mast towards the stern; and stretched out below by booms, whose foremost ends are hooked to an iron, which clasps the mast so as to turn therein as upon an axis, when the after ends are swung from one side of the vessel to the other. (UDM)
Scow: A large flat bottomed boat; used as a ferry boat, or for loading and unloading vessels. (ADEL)
Scruple: A weight of twenty grains, the third part of a dram. (ADEL)
Shew: Show.
Shipping: A multitude of vessels. (UDM)
Sloop: A small vessel furnished with one mast, the main-sail of which is attached to a gaff above, to the mast on its foremost edge, and to a long boom below; by which it is occasionally shifted to either quarter. (UDM)
Smack: A small vessel commonly rigged as a sloop or hoy, used in the coasting or fishing trade; or as a tender in the King’s service. (UDM)
Small arms: Portable fire-arms known as muskets, rifles, carbines, pistols, etc. (MDG)
Snow: Generally the largest of all two-masted vessels employed by Europeans, and the most convenient for navigation. (UDM)
Specious: Apparently right; superficially fair, just or correct; plausible; appearing well at first view. (ADEL)
Spike: To spike a cannon was to make it temporarily useless to the enemy by pounding a metal spike through the touch-hole.
Sponge: A woolen brush attached to the end of a staff, for the purpose of cleaning the interior of cannon and extinguishing any burning fragments of the cartridge that may remain after firing. (MDG)
Standing: In navigation, the movement by which a ship advances towards a certain object, or departs from it: as the enemy stands in-shore: the English fleet are standing off; at day-break we discovered three sail standing to the northward, &c. (UDM)
Steerage-way: That degree of progressive motion communicated to a ship, by which she becomes susceptible of the effects of the helm to govern her course. (UDM)
Stores: Supplies; warehouses, storehouses.
Superficies: The exterior part of a thing. (ADEL)
Swivel: A small piece of ordnance, turning on a point or swivel. (MDG). In other words, a small cannon mounted on a swivel so that it can be easily turned in different directions. These were often used on ships.

T

Tar: A figurative expression for a sailor of any kind. (UDM)
Tender: A small vessel employed in the King’s service, on various occasions; as, to receive volunteers and impressed men, and convey them to a distant place; to attend on ships of war or squadrons; and to carry intelligence or orders from one place to another, &c. (UDM)
Tory: In America, during the revolution, those who opposed the war, and favored the claims of Great Britain, were called tories. (ADEL) See Whig.
Touch-hole: The vent of a cannon or other species of fire-arms, by which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge. (MDG)

U

Unshot: To remove the shot from, as a piece of ordnance; to take out the shot of. (MDG)

V

Volley: The simultaneous discharge of a number of fire-arms. (MDG)

W

Wad: A little mass of some soft or flexible material, such as hay, straw, tow, paper, or old rope-yarn, used for stopping the charge of powder in a gun and pressing it close to the shot, or for keeping the powder and shot close. (ADEL)
Wad-hook: A screw or hook to draw wadding out from a gun. (MDG)
Waiter: One who waits; an attendant; a servant in attendance. (ADEL)
Warlike stores: Military supplies.
Weigh anchor: To heave up the anchor of a ship from the ground, in order to prepare her for sailing. (UDM)
Whig: One of a political party which had its origin in England in the seventeenth century, in the reign of Charles I. or II., when great contests existed respecting the royal prerogatives and the rights of the people. Those who supported the king in his high claims, were called tories, and the advocates of popular rights were called whigs. During the revolution in the United States, the friends and supporters of the war and the principles of the revolution, were called whigs, and those who opposed them, were called tories and royalists. (ADEL)
Worm: A species of double cork-screw attached to a staff, used in field and siege cannon to withdraw a cartridge. (MDG)
Worm a gun (verb): To take out the charge of a fire-arm by means of a worm. (MDG)

X

Xebec: A small three-masted vessel, navigated in the Mediterranean sea, and on the coasts of Spain, Portugal, and Barbary. (UDM)

Y

Yager: One belonging to a body of light infantry armed with rifles. Written also jager. (MDG)
Yard: A long piece of timber suspended upon the masts of a ship, to extend the sails to the wind. (UDM)

Z

Zigzags: In fortification, are trenches or paths, with several windings, so cut that the besieged are prevented from enfilading the besieger in his approaches. (MDG)

Symbols

&c. or &ca. The same as etc.
⅌ Per.
/ Shillings.

Notes on Sources

Sources used for the above include:

An American Dictionary of the English Language (ADEL). By Noah Webster, 1828.
A Military Dictionary and Gazetteer (MDG). By Thomas Wilhelm, 1881.
An Universal Dictionary of the Marine (UDM). By William Falconer, 1769.
Encyclopedia of the American Revolution (EAR). By Mark Mayo Boatner III, 1974.
Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language (JDEL). By Samuel Johnson, 1799.