different between army vs bivouac

English

Etymology

From (1386) Middle English armee, borrowed from Old French armee (cf. modern French armée), from Medieval Latin arm?ta (“armed force”), a noun taken from the past participle of Latin arm?re (“to arm”), itself related to arma (“tools, arms”), from Proto-Indo-European *h?er- (“to join, fit together”).Doublet of armada. Displaced native Middle English heere, here, from Old English here.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ä'm?, IPA^(key): /???.mi?/
• (General American) enPR: är'm?, IPA^(key): /???.mi/
• Rhymes: -??(?)mi

Noun

army (plural armies)

1. A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
   1. Used absolutely for that entire branch of the armed forces.

   2. (often capitalized) Within a vast military, a very large tactical contingent (e.g. a number of divisions).

2. The governmental agency in charge of a state's army.

3. (figuratively) A large group of people working toward the same purpose.
4. (figuratively) A large group of social animals working toward the same purpose.

5. (figuratively) Any multitude.

Synonyms

• host
• here
• ferd

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• navy
• Air Force
• Marines

Anagrams

• Mary, Mayr, Myra, Yarm, mary, yarm

English

Alternative forms

• bivouack
• biouac, biovac, bihovac (obsolete)
• bivy, bivvy (shortening)

Etymology

Borrowed from French bivouac (earlier biouac, bivac), from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“reinforcements of guard or town watch”), from bii- + Wacht (“watch, guard”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?v.u.æk/, /?b?v.wæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

Noun

bivouac (plural bivouacs)

1. An encampment for the night, usually without tents or covering.
2. Any temporary encampment.
3. A temporary shelter constructed generally for a few nights.
   • 2005, Boston Globe, September 23, 2005

     The outing begins by Thursday noon, when the recreational vehicles start rumbling into town and their owners set up bivouacs.

4. (dated) The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack.
5. (zoology) A structure formed by migratory ants out of their own bodies to protect the queen and larvae.

Translations

Verb

bivouac (third-person singular simple present bivouacs or bivouacks, present participle bivouacing or bivouacking, simple past and past participle bivouacked)

1. To set up camp.

   We'll bivouac here tonight.

2. To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army.
3. To encamp for the night without tents or covering.

Translations

French

Alternative forms

• bivac, bivoie, biouac

Etymology

From earlier bivoie, biouac, bivac, from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“a patrol of citizens added - in time of alarm or commotion - to the regular town watch”), from bii- (“by-”) + Wacht (“watch, guard”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi.vwak/

Noun

bivouac m (plural bivouacs)

1. bivouac (encampment for the night)

Derived terms

• bivouaquer

Descendants

• ? Bulgarian: ????? (bivak)
• ? Czech: bivak
• ? Danish: bivuak
• ? Dutch: bivak
• ? English: bivouac, bivouack
• ? German: Biwak
• ? Galician: bivaque
• ? Hungarian: bivak
• ? Italian: bivacco
• ? Japanese: ???? (bib?ku)
• ? Macedonian: ????? (bivak)
• ? Polish: biwak
• ? Portuguese: bivaque
• ? Russian: ????? (bivak), ?????? (bivuak)
• ? Slovak: bivak
• ? Slovene: bivak
• ? Spanish: vivac, vivaque
• ? Swedish: bivack

Further reading

• “bivouac” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).