Journey's End

Journey's End Glossary

trenches

long narrow ditches dug by troops to provide a place of shelter from enemy fire; also shorthand for the battlefields of northern France and Belgium in World War I ("the trenches")

Minnies

large mortar shells, named for the German Minnywerfer

cheero (also cheerio)

used as an expression of good wishes on parting; goodbye; synonym for cheers

The Boche

Germans, especially German soldiers, considered collectively; from the French word for rascal

tea

a hot drink made by infusing the dried crushed leaves of the tea plant in boiling water; also the term for a cooked evening meal or light afternoon meal

Jerry

slang term for Germans, referring to their helmets, which British soldiers believed resembled chamber pots, known as jerries

rubbish

waste material; refuse or litter; metaphorically, absurd, nonsensical, or worthless talk or ideas

ought

used to indicate duty or correctness, typically when criticizing someone's actions

pluck

spirited and determined courage

blithering

senselessly talkative, babbling; used chiefly as an intensive to express annoyance or contempt

hang about

loiter; wait around

righto

informal British exclamation to express agreement or assent

fluke

an unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck

no man's land

disputed ground between the front lines or trenches of two opposing armies

Very light

a flare fired into the air from a pistol for signaling or for temporary illumination

neuralgia

intense, typically intermittent pain along the course of a nerve, especially in the head or face

omit

leave out or exclude (someone or something), either intentionally or forgetfully

going potty

going insane; losing one's mind

jolly

very; extremely (i.e. jolly good)

tunic

a close-fitting short coat as part of a uniform, especially a police or military uniform