Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A temporary encampment often in an unsheltered area.
- intransitive verb To camp in a bivouac.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To encamp in the open air without tents or covering, as soldiers on a march or in expectation of an engagement.
- noun An encampment of soldiers in the open air without tents, each soldier remaining dressed and with his weapons by him; hence, figuratively, a position or situation of readiness for emergencies, or a situation demanding extreme watchfulness.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army.
- intransitive verb To encamp for the night without tents or covering.
- noun The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack.
- noun An encampment for the night without tents or covering.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An
encampment for the night, usually withouttents or covering. - noun Any
temporary encampment. - noun dated The
watch of a wholearmy by night, when in danger of surprise orattack . - verb To set up
camp . - verb To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army.
- verb To encamp for the night without tents or covering.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a site where people on holiday can pitch a tent
- noun temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
- verb live in or as if in a tent
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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There we had plenty of room and quarters, no squabbling about the shade of a tree in bivouac, or your stable being previously occupied by cavalry or artillery horses.
The Autobiography of Liuetenant-General Sir Harry Smith, Baronet of Aliwal on the Sutlej, G. C. B. 1903
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I was lying in bivouac, talking to General Craufurd and John Bell, when a dragoon rode up with a note from General Cole, requesting Craufurd to send an officer as a guide to lead his division to the heights of Rendo at dusk.
The Autobiography of Liuetenant-General Sir Harry Smith, Baronet of Aliwal on the Sutlej, G. C. B. 1903
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We marched the next day to the foot of the Guadarama Pass, where our soldiers, when dismissed in bivouac, had a fine hunt after a wild boar, which they killed.
The Autobiography of Liuetenant-General Sir Harry Smith, Baronet of Aliwal on the Sutlej, G. C. B. 1903
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As luck would have it, I found the site -- the Grand Army of the Republic 'bivouac' -- as members of the organization assembled for their moving, simple service of prayer, thanksgiving and reflection.
Memorial Day at Hillside Cemetery Dan 2007
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As luck would have it, I found the site -- the Grand Army of the Republic 'bivouac' -- as members of the organization assembled for their moving, simple service of prayer, thanksgiving and reflection.
Archive 2007-05-01 Dan 2007
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A bivouac is also a structure formed by migratory army ant and driver ant colonies, where a nest is constructed out of the living ant worker’s own bodies to protect the queen and larvae, and is later deconstructed as the ants move on.
Getting “Campy” 2008
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The troops did not seem to be disposed in battle order, but on the other side of the bivouac was a line of battle -- a heavy rear-guard -- confronting, presumably, General Meade.
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The troops did not seem to be disposed in battle order, but on the other side of the bivouac was a line of battle -- a heavy rear-guard -- confronting, presumably, General Meade.
Memoirs of the Union's Three Great Civil War Generals David Widger
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Our bivouac was a clump of trammon trees (elders) at the corner of the orchard which adjoined the farm buildings.
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Marked a tree F 46 on the east side of the spring at our bivouac, which is in latitude 25 degrees 0 minutes 46 seconds South, longitude about 121 degrees 21 minutes East.
Explorations in Australia, Illustrated, John Forrest 1882
jennarenn commented on the word bivouac
I find this word downright comical. Probably because the second syllable sounds like whack.
July 24, 2007
seanahan commented on the word bivouac
I pronounce this with 3 syllables, so none of them sound like whack.
July 25, 2007
slumry commented on the word bivouac
You mean three syllables like: "I don't biv uh wack!" (that was a joke, by the way--could not resist a little word play)
July 25, 2007
reesetee commented on the word bivouac
The original Swiss word, bīwacht, is even more hilarious.
July 25, 2007
jennarenn commented on the word bivouac
dictionary lists two pronunciations: biv-oo-ak and biv-wak.
July 25, 2007
reesetee commented on the word bivouac
Interesting--didn't know until now that there was a three-syllable pronunciation for this.
July 25, 2007
yarb commented on the word bivouac
Another baffled three-syllabler here. Biv-wack?! Wot?!
November 13, 2007
kewpid commented on the word bivouac
It's probably closest to 2-and-a-half syllables.
November 13, 2007