route marchn.
/ˈruːt mɑːtʃ/, U.S. /ˈrut ˌmɑrtʃ/, /ˈraʊt ˌmɑrtʃ/ Military.
A long march undertaken by troops, now often as part of a training exercise (cf. road march n. 1). Also in extended use.
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society > armed hostility > military operations > evolution > [noun] > marching > other specific march
forced march1769
route marching1788
route march1800
defile1835
road march1855
road marching1872
1800 J. Russell Instr. Drill (ed. 2) 13 In the route march, it is not to be supposed that men can..continue to march in the regular cadence of 75 paces of 30 inches each in the minute.
1884 Proc. Royal Geogr. Soc. 6 326 (heading) Route March, with camels, from Berber to Korosko in 1863.
1895 W. S. Churchill Let. 27 Feb. in R. S. Churchill Winston S. Churchill (1967) I. viii. 559 I went out with the regiment on Friday to a route march—which was very fine.
1917 D. Haig Diary 9 Aug. in War Diaries & Lett. 1914–18 (2005) 313 I inspected about 2000 convalescents who were on a route march—all seemed very fit and happy.
1977 D. Bagley Enemy xxix. 231 Benson had a cushy billet for a soldier in wartime. Not for him route marches in the pouring rain.
a1985 P. White With the Jocks (2003) 33 The same enthusiastic delight was always accorded to the appearance of our kilted pipers, especially when playing on a route march to exercise the Jocks.
2012 R. D. Merritt On Common Ground 128/2 The supreme route march was the Great Trek of 1915 from Camp Niagara to the Exhibition Grounds in Toronto.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
route marchv.
/ˈruːt mɑːtʃ/, U.S. /ˈrut ˌmɑrtʃ/, /ˈraʊt ˌmɑrtʃ/ Military.
1. intransitive. To execute or take part in a route march.
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1897 Chambers's Jrnl. 6 Feb. 84/1 He always absented himself or went sick on the approach of hard work, as..after the battery had been route marching.
1901 R. Kipling Kim v. 128 It was the band of the Mavericks playing the regiment into its camp; for the men were route-marching with their baggage.
1939 Airman's Gaz. Dec. 3/1 You route march into the local swedeville.
1981 C. Smythe If you can't beat 'em in Alley vii. 155 We would route march in the morning and break off about noon to play ball.
2003 R. A. Bickers Empire made Me iv. 69 There was the annual inspection parade, when the force route-marched to the Public Recreation Ground.
2. transitive. To cause (a person or group) to execute or take part in a route march. Also in extended use.
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1899 Glasgow Herald 13 Nov. 7/1 General Wolfe Murray route marched the Estcourt garrison seven miles out and in to-day.
1904 Rep. Commissioners, Inspectors, & Others XXIV. 250/1 They ought to be called out at least a fortnight before taking part in manoeuvres in order to be route marched and trained.
1918 Aussie: Austral. Soldiers' Mag. Dec. 5/1 Last night I struck a dinkum little tab and route-marched her to Hyde Park.
1988 Campaign (Nexis) 30 Sept. ‘A lot of crews won't work with me to this day,’ he says, ‘because I'd route march them around locations and they couldn't take it.’
2007 Daily Tel. 2 Apr. 8/8 The pupils..are route-marched through to Level 4.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1800v.1897