honorable discharge
- noun
- /ˈɒnərəbəl dɪsˈtʃɑrdʒ/
- Formal
- Last March, the government changed his military record to reflect an honorable discharge.
- receive an honorable discharge
- get an honorable discharge
- request for an honorable discharge
Examples
-
Inside were his father's honorable discharge from the Army, a copy of his Social Security card, fourteen dollars, and a typed and notarized Last Will and Testament.
Fiction book (1998) -
Served in the marines for three years with an honorable discharge due to injury.
-
Never caught the driver of the car, and Lee was given an honorable discharge.
-
I got an honorable discharge.
-
I got out on an honorable discharge after 26 years of service.
-
My military service ended sooner than the Army and I had planned when the discovery of a health condition led to an early honorable discharge.
Blog text (14) -
Aaron got out of the army with an honorable discharge and was married in a lovely church just outside of El Paso, Texas.
Fiction book (1994) -
Josh is facing an honorable discharge from the Air Force, but the couple plan to move to Colorado, where they will focus on rebuilding their lives.
Blog text (19) -
Airman First Class Hunter S. Thompson's superiors recommended him for an early, honorable discharge.
Blog text (27) -
After serving six years in the army, he was proud to receive an honorable discharge for his dedication and service.
Antonyms
- Formal
Official removal from the military because of a serious crime or bad behavior
How Honorable
- Formal
- Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is compositionally transparent: 'honorable' (having high moral standards) modifies 'discharge' (a formal release from duties), so the combined meaning — a formal release given for commendable service — follows directly from the constituents. While some cultural/military specifics about discharge types may be new, a B1 learner who knows both words can reliably infer this meaning.
Etymology
Honorable discharge comes from soldiers leaving the army. A discharge is an official release and if it is marked honorable the person left with a good record and often a paper and a salute, so it means 'an official release for good service'.