lance corporal
2
7.1
- noun
- /læns ˈkɔrpərəl/
:
cabo
- The lance corporal was promoted after demonstrating exceptional leadership skills during the mission.
- lance corporal in the Marine Corps
- an old lance corporal
- a year-old lance corporal
Here, Mark Schmitz, the father of Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz.
- Here, Mark Schmitz, the father of Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz.
- My name is Steve Nikui, I'm the father of Lance Corporal Kareem M Nikui and your administration killed my son.
Examples
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I walked the lines for a couple of hours, chatted with the lance corporal on radio duty, and unrolled my sleeping bag for some rest.
Academic text (2010) -
Each lance corporal in the unit is responsible for training new recruits before they advance in rank.
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That goes for generals as well as lance corporals.
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Yes, of course, sir but one of your men, lance corporal Hartmann, is missing.
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A 24-hour pass for the lance corporal will begin tomorrow at noon.
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Over half that class has since been promoted to full corporal... while Dawson has remained a lance corporal.
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A lance-corporal counted off eight men, including Gershanovich, who was the second in line, and left the rest on the staircase.
Fiction book (1998) -
"You're the major," Ned told Bobby, "and you're the new lance corporal," he said to me.
Fiction book (1994) -
One day in the fall of 2006, I met a young Marine lance corporal who shouldered that burden—the burden of the watchstander.
Blog text (27) -
During the ceremony, the commander praised the lance corporal for his bravery in the field.
How Senior
- Specialized
614
5.8
422
3.9
- Jargon
5
6.1
2
7.1
76
3.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
lance + corporal
The noun 'corporal' clearly signals a military rank, so a learner who knows that word can infer the phrase denotes a kind of corporal. However, 'lance' (a weapon) does not transparently indicate the specific hierarchical status or that it denotes a junior/acting rank, and the precise rank relation is historically idiomatic and not predictable from the parts alone.
Etymology
Lance corporal may come from older armies where a soldier who carried a lance, a long spear, acted as a junior corporal and helped lead a small group. So today lance corporal means a low military rank between a private and a corporal.