field ration
- noun
- /fiːld ˈræʃən/
- The supply truck arrived just in time to deliver fresh field rations to the troops.
- eating field rations
- military field rations
Examples
-
Field rations are running dangerously low.
-
Gamble and Starling begin passing out the field rations.
Fiction book (1996) -
As the soldiers were eating field rations, welcome black shapes came droning in under the stars, and down floated clusters of parachutes bringing jeeps, mortars, ammunition, guns, food, water, and medicine to paratrooper cheers.
Fiction book (1993) -
The soldiers were grateful for the field rations provided to them during the long operation.
-
After a week in the wilderness, we relied on our field rations to survive.
Synonyms
A fixed amount of food or other supplies given to each person during a shortage such as war
A place where people in a camp or army get their meals
A small emergency pack of food for soldiers during war
A canned meal given to American soldiers during wars
How Filling
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'field' (location of operations) + 'ration' (an allotted portion of food); a learner who knows both words will readily infer it refers to food supplied for use in the field. This is a straightforward noun+noun compound following common cross-linguistic military vocabulary patterns, so it is immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Field ration comes from the idea of food given to soldiers out in the field. A ration is a fixed share of food, so field ration now means 'a pre-packaged meal for soldiers to use when they are away from base'.