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."
- ring n. Ring in a cross-section of a tree, from one year's growth.
- surgeon n. Person who treats decayed trees in order to preserve them.
- —n. - perennial plant with a woody self-supporting main stem or trunk and usu. Unbranched for some distance above the ground.
- piece or frame of wood etc. For various purposes (shoe-tree).
- = *family tree. —v. (trees; treed) force to take refuge in a tree.
TREK
orig. S.afr. —v. (-kk-) 1 travel or make one's way arduously.
- esp. Hist. Migrate or journey with one's belongings by ox-wagon. —n. - a long or arduous journey or walk (quite a trek to the launderette). B each stage of this.
- organized migration of a body of people. trekker n. [dutch, = draw]
TRIG
n. Colloq. Trigonometry. [abbreviation]
- point n. Reference point on high ground, used in triangulation.
TRIM
—v. (-mm-) 1 a make neat or of the required size or form, esp. By cutting away irregular or unwanted parts. B set in good order.
- (foll. By off, away) cut off (unwanted parts).
- ornament, decorate.
- adjust the balance of (a ship or aircraft) by arranging its cargo etc.
- arrange (sails) to suit the wind.
- a associate oneself with currently prevailing views, esp. To advance oneself. B hold a middle course in politics or opinion.
- colloq. A rebuke sharply. B thrash. C get the better of in a bargain etc. —n. - state of readiness or fitness (in perfect trim).
- ornament or decorative material.
- trimming of a person's hair. —adj. (trimmer, trimmest) 1 neat or spruce.
- in good order; well arranged or equipped. [old english, = make firm]
TRIO
n. (pl. -s) 1 group of three.
- mus. A composition for three performers. B the performers. [french and italian from latin]
TRIP
—v. (-pp-) 1 a (often foll. By up) (cause to) stumble, esp. By catching the feet. B (foll. By up) (cause to) make a slip or blunder.
- a move with quick light steps. B (of a rhythm etc.) Run lightly.
- make an excursion to a place.
- a operate (a mechanism) suddenly by knocking aside a catch etc. B automatically cut out.
- slang have a hallucinatory experience caused by a drug. —n. - journey or excursion, esp. For pleasure.
- a stumble or blunder. B tripping or being tripped up.
- nimble step.
- slang drug-induced hallucinatory experience.
- device for tripping a mechanism etc. [dutch trippen skip, hop]
- —v. (-tt-) 1 (of a person) run at a moderate pace.
- (of a horse) proceed at a steady pace faster than a walk, lifting each diagonal pair of legs alternately.
- colloq. Walk, go.
- cause (a horse or person) to trot.
- traverse (a distance) at a trot. —n. - action or exercise of trotting (proceed at a trot; went for a trot).
- (the trots) slang diarrhoea. on the trot colloq. - in succession (six days on the trot).
- continually busy (kept me on the trot). Trot out 1 colloq. Introduce (an opinion etc.) Tediously or repeatedly.
- cause (a horse) to trot to show his paces. [french]
TROY
n. (in full troy weight) system of weights used for precious metals and gems, with a pound of 12 ounces or 5,760 grains; 1 oz. Troy = 31.1035 g. [probably troyes in france]
