minuteman

Thân thiện

A minuteman stands guard at a colonial village entrance.

Definition

Noun: 1. A member of the civilian militia in the American colonies who was prepared to fight at very short notice ("in a minute's notice") during the period before and during the American Revolutionary War. 2. The common name for the LGM-30 Minuteman, a type of U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) equipped with nuclear warheads and housed in hardened underground silos.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Historical Militia):
  • The Minuteman grabbed his musket and rushed to join the fight at Lexington.
  • Every town had its company of Minutemen, ready to defend their community.
• Noun (Weapon System):
  • The Minuteman III is a key component of America's nuclear deterrent.
  • The Air Force maintains a fleet of Minuteman missiles on constant alert.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used symbolically to represent patriotism, readiness, and the citizen-soldier ideal in American culture.
  • His speech invoked the spirit of the Minuteman, calling for vigilance and civic duty.

Variants and Related Words

• Militiaman (n): A member of a militia, a broader term that includes Minutemen.
• ICBM (n, acronym): Intercontinental Ballistic Missile; the category of weapon system to which the Minuteman belongs.

Synonyms

• For the historical militia: colonial soldier, patriot militiaman.
• For the weapon system: ICBM, strategic missile, nuclear missile.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "Minute Man" readiness: A phrase describing a state of being prepared to act instantly.
  • The cybersecurity team maintains a "Minute Man" readiness to respond to threats.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a strategic weapon system using a guided missile of intercontinental range; missiles are equipped with nuclear warheads and dispersed in hardened silos
2. an American militiaman prior to and during the American Revolution

Từ đồng nghĩa

• minuteman