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Glite Dictionary
square-bashing

square-bashing

9.9
Repeated marching drills that soldiers do during basic training
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : ejercicio militar
  • The recruits spent hours doing square-bashing every morning during basic training.

Examples

  • He complained that square-bashing was the most tedious part of army life.

  • After weeks of square-bashing, the soldiers finally mastered their marching techniques.

  • The recruits started square-bashing every morning.

  • During square-bashing, they learned to march in formation.

  • After weeks of square-bashing, the recruits became skilled at their synchronized movements.

  • The drill sergeant announced that today's square-bashing would focus on perfecting the salute.

  • Every morning, the battalion engaged in square-bashing to prepare for the upcoming inspection.

Synonyms

military drill
vssquare-bashing
3 3.6

Training that teaches soldiers to march, move together, and use weapons

is repetitive marching on a barracks parade ground during initial training
close-order drill
vssquare-bashing
  • Specialized
8.4

Soldiers march shoulder to shoulder in a set formation for parades

is repetitive marching used mainly in early training rather than for ceremonies

Antonyms

informal
98 3.1

Not formal or official, relaxed and casual

free-form
3 4.4

Not following fixed rules or structure

How Demanding

square-bashing
  • Jargon
9.9
drill
257 3.4
exercise
455 1.0
warm-up
35 2.7

Surface Forms

square-bashing singular
square-bashings plural

Morphology

square-bashing = square + bash (opaque) = square + bash + ing

Although built from 'square' + 'bash' + '-ing', the compound's military meaning 'drill/marching exercises' is specialized and not derivable by typical learners from the component meanings.

Etymology

The phrase square-bashing comes from army speech: square means the 'parade ground' where soldiers march, and bash here means 'to hit' or do something hard and fast. So square-bashing paints a picture of recruits being put through hard, repetitive marching drills on the square, which is why it means long, boring drill practice.