The general went out to find that none of his GIs were there. One finally ran up, panting heavily.
"Sorry, sir! I can explain, you see I had a date and it ran a little late. I ran to the bus but missed it, I hailed a cab but it broke down, found a farm, bought a horse but it dropped dead, ran 10 miles, and now I"m here."
The general was very skeptical about this explanation but at least he was here so he let the G.I. go.
Moments later, eight more GIs came up to the general panting, he asked them why they were late.
"Sorry, sir! I had a date and it ran a little late, I ran to the bus but missed it, I hailed a cab but it broke down, found a farm, bought a horse but it dropped dead, ran 10 miles, and now I"m here."
The general eyed them, feeling very skeptical but since he let the first guy go, he let them go, too.
A ninth GI jogged up to the general, panting heavily. "Sorry, sir! I had a date and it ran a little late, I ran to the bus but missed it, I hailed a cab but..."
"Let me guess," the general interrupted, "it broke down."
"No," said the G.I., "there were so many dead horses in the road, it took forever to get around them."
- (foll. By off, out) mark with small holes or dots.
- trouble mentally (my conscience pricked me).
- tingle.
- (foll. By out) plant (seedlings etc.) In small holes pricked in the soil. —n. - act of pricking.
- small hole or mark made by pricking.
- pain caused as by pricking.
- mental pain.
- coarse slang a penis. B derog. Contemptible man. prick up one's ears 1 (of a dog etc.) Make the ears erect when alert.
- (of a person) become suddenly attentive. [old english]
PRIDE
of place n. Most important or prominent position.
- —n. - a elation or satisfaction at one's achievements, qualities, possessions, etc. B object of this feeling; the flower or best.
- high or overbearing opinion of one's worth or importance.
- (in full proper pride) proper sense of what befits one's position; self-respect.
- group (of certain animals, esp. Lions).
- best condition, prime. —v.refl. (-ding) (foll. By on, upon) be proud of. take pride (or a pride) in 1 be proud of.
- maintain in good condition or appearance. [old english: related to *proud]
PRIMA
ballerina n. Chief female dancer in a ballet. [italian]
- donna n. (pl. Prima donnas) 1 chief female singer in an opera.
- temperamentally self-important person. prima donna-ish adj. [italian]
- facie —adv. At first sight. —adj. (of evidence) based on the first impression. [latin]
PRIME
minister n. Head of an elected government; principal minister.
- time n. (in broadcasting) time when audiences are largest.
- —adj. - chief, most important.
- first-rate, excellent.
- primary, fundamental.
- math. A (of a number etc.) Divisible only by itself and unity (e.g. 2, 3, 5, 7, 11). B (of numbers) having no common factor but unity. —n. - state of the highest perfection (prime of life).
- (prec. By the; foll. By of) the best part. [latin primus first]
- v. (-ming) 1 prepare (a thing) for use or action.
- prepare (a gun) for firing or (an explosive) for detonation.
- pour (liquid) into a pump to enable it to work.
- prepare (wood etc.) For painting by applying a substance that prevents paint from being absorbed.
- equip (a person) with information etc.
- ply (a person) with food or drink in preparation for something. [origin unknown]
PRIMP
v. - make (the hair, clothes, etc.) Tidy.
- refl. Make (oneself) smart. [var. Of *prim]
PRINK
v. - a (usu. Refl.; often foll. By up) smarten (oneself) up. B dress oneself up.
- (of a bird) preen. [origin unknown]
PRINT
—v. - produce or cause (a book, picture, etc.) To be produced by applying inked types, blocks, or plates, to paper, etc.
- express or publish in print.
- a (often foll. By on, in) impress or stamp (a mark on a surface). B (often foll. By with) impress or stamp (a surface with a seal, die, etc.).
- (often absol.) Write (letters) without joining them up.
- (often foll. By off, out) produce (a photograph) from a negative.
- (usu. Foll. By out) (of a computer etc.) Produce output in printed form.
PRIOR
—adj. - earlier.
- (often foll. By to) coming before in time, order, or importance. —adv. (foll. By to) before (left prior to his arrival). —n. (fem. Prioress) 1 superior of a religious house or order.
- (in an abbey) deputy of an abbot. [latin, = earlier]
PRISE
v. (also prize) (-sing or -zing) force open or out by leverage. [french: related to *prize2]
PRISM
n. - solid figure whose two ends are equal parallel rectilinear figures, and whose sides are parallelograms.
- transparent body in this form, usu. Triangular with refracting surfaces at an acute angle with each other, which separates white light into a spectrum of colours. [greek prisma -mat- thing sawn]
