The Things They Carried Glossary

Glossary of Terms

AWOL

Missing, cause unknown. This is an army abbreviation for "absent without leave."

bash

party

carcass

dead body, usually of an animal

chopper

slang for helicopter

concord

agreement, harmony

cooze

derogatory slang for a woman

culottes

a skirt with shorts underneath

detonator

the part of a hand grenade you pull out to make it explode

echelon

level (of power), also refers to an infantryman's position on the ground

egg on

to encourage

fatigues

military uniform

ferocious

menacing, dangerously energetic

flak jacket

a piece of outwear worn to protect from shrapnel

foxhole

holes soldiers dig to hid from enemy fire

gook

derogatory slang for an Asian person

Green Berets

special US Army forces

hand grenade

a hand-held explosive device

happening truth

the truth of something as it happened in reality

happening-truth

the truth of something as it happened in reality

hootch

slang for whiskey; also slang for soldiers' encampments

hygiene

cleanliness

infantry

foot soldiers

joint

cigarette rolled with marijuana

Kool-Aid

a packaged powdered beverage

landmines

explosive devices buried in the ground

lingo

slang associated with a particular group

mellow

relaxed, a term associated with the 60s drug culture

mermite

cheap aluminium material used for making cans

paddy

a rice field

puffery

untruth, fluffiness

pussy

vulgar slang meaning coward

rucksack

large backpack

scrambler radio

a device used to jam the radio broadcasts of the enemy

story-truth

the truth of something as it is told in fiction

swank

high-class, elegant

synthesizer

musical instrument, similar to an electric piano keyboard

tackle box

fisherman's box containing bait, tackle, other tools

to hump

army term for to carry something

to trash

slang for to kill

yo-yo

toy, but also slang for person, guy