Glossary of Terms
4-F: The designation by the government for one who is unfit for military service due to a physical or mental problem.
Antihero: The main character of a story when such a characters flaws outweigh his virtues, such as if he lacks courage, idealism, or other "heroic" traits.
Atheism: The belief that God does not exist.
AWOL: Absent without leave.
Bureaucracy: Excessive hierarchy and regulation in a group that creates inefficiency.
C.I.D.: Criminal Investigation Department.
Calvinism: A Protestant sect known for its strict rules.
Catch-22: A phrase describing a paradoxical situation where a person feels trapped.
Chaplain: A clergyman who is connected to an organization, such as the armed services or a hospital.
Circular Reasoning: A faulty process of reasoning where the premise depends on the conclusion.
Conscientious Objector: One who refuses to fight in a war or serve in the military on moral grounds.
Dystopia: A vision of society where man is miserable or oppressed; the opposite of utopia.
Fatalist: One who believes in the philosophy that one's fate is inevitable and cannot be changed.
Flak: Antiaircraft fire that bursts midair, damaging or disrupting an aircraft.
G Man: An agent of the F.B.I.; a "government man."
Horse Chestnut: A large, shiny seed.
Hypochondriac: A preoccupation with one's health where an individual is constantly worried about becoming sick, sometimes even developing psychosomatic symptoms.
Impotence: Weakness or ineffectuality; medically, a man's inability to maintain an erection.
Insomnia: Sleeplessness; the inability to get enough sleep.
Jaundice: A sickness caused by bile buildup in the body due to a malfunctioning liver. Symptoms include yellowing skin and eyes.
Milk Run: An easy mission with little or no flak.
Misogyny: A tendency to denigrate or look down on women.
Paranoia: A neurosis characterized by feelings of persecution.
Prolix: Tediously verbose.
Semantic: Having to do with words or phrases and what they mean.
Semiotics: An analysis of communication systems such as language and syntax.
Syndicate: A group that cooperates to carry out a task or operation.
ClassicNote on Catch-22
| 
