drumhead court-martial
- noun
- /ˈdrʌmˌhɛd ˈkɔrtˌmɑrʃəl/
- Formal
:
consejo de guerra sumario
- During the chaos of battle, the general ordered a drumhead court-martial for the accused deserter.
Examples
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Many historians criticize the lack of due process in a drumhead court-martial.
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The officer was sentenced after a hasty drumhead court-martial in the field.
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The soldiers faced a drumhead court-martial after the battle.
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During the conflict, a drumhead court-martial was established.
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Amid the confusion of war, the commander called for a drumhead court-martial to quickly address the serious charges against the soldiers.
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After the skirmish, the troops were subjected to a drumhead court-martial to expedite justice for the alleged offenses.
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In the heat of battle, a drumhead court-martial was convened to swiftly resolve accusations of cowardice among the ranks.
Synonyms
56
7.4
A military court that tries soldiers for breaking military rules
10
4.9
A group of officers who try members of the armed forces for breaking their rules
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is transparently compositional: 'drumhead' (hasty, summary) modifies 'court-martial' (a military trial), so the meaning 'a quick or summary military trial' is directly derivable from the constituents. This adjective+noun pattern is a common and predictable composition, so a learner who knows both words can infer the MWE's meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
Drumhead court-martial comes from battlefield trials where officers used the top of a drum, the drumhead, as a quick table to write on and decide punishments. So today a drumhead court-martial means a quick military trial held 'without the usual rules'.