buck private en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
-
(US, slang) A private soldier keen ("bucking") for promotion; an ambitious private.
Bedell Smith was a shopkeeper's son from Indiana who rose from buck private to general without the polish of West Point or a college degree.
2007, Tim Weiner, Legacy of Ashes, Penguin, published 2008, pages 15–16:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| buck privates | Number=Plur | lexicographic |