释义 |
ˈyardbird U.S. slang. Also yard bird. [f. yard n.1 + bird n. (see sense 1 e), perh. after jail-bird.] a. Mil. A recruit, a newly-enlisted serviceman; also, a serviceman under discipline for a misdemeanour; one assigned to menial tasks. Also transf.
1941Amer. Speech XVI. 169/2 Yard bird, a raw recruit. 1942[see red-line v.]. 1943J. Goodell They sent me to Iceland 102 With this wealth of jargon we were able to produce a quiz on army slang..for the benefit of the newly arrived men—better known as ‘yardbirds’. 1943American Mercury Nov. 552/1 If he's in the Army he's referred to as a yardbird..an old Army term for camp-confined newcomers. 1947Amer. Speech XXII. 111 A soldier, sailor, or marine who frequently receives punishments for offenses against the regulations is designated as a Y.B. or ‘yard bird’. 1965C. Brown Manchild in Promised Land iii. 80 For the next two weeks, K. B. was Claiborne's yardbird. He had to go everywhere Claiborne went from morning till night. He even had to ask Claiborne when he wanted to go to the bathroom. b. A convict.
1956S. Longstreet Real Jazz, Old & New 148 A yard⁓bird is a low mug. 1980A. Pearl Dict. Popular Slang 189/1 Yardbird, a convict..an ex-convict. c. A worker in a yard (yard n.1 4). (See quots.)
1963T. Pynchon V. xvi. 427 ‘Yardbirds are the same all over,’ Pappy said... The dock workers fled by, jostling them. 1968Amer. Speech XLIII. 290 Yard bird, a disabled engineer, fireman, or switchman who may work only within the yard limits. 1971M. Tak Truck Talk 190 Yard bird, a driver who spots trailers and moves vehicles around a terminal yard. |