Reply #93: Militia [View All]

[genieroze]

is the part they get hung up on.

Militia

mi·li·tia Audio pronunciation of "Militia" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (m-lsh)
n.

1. An army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers.
2. A military force that is not part of a regular army and is subject to call for service in an emergency.
3. The whole body of physically fit civilians eligible by law for military service.





Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Militia

\Mi*li"tia\, n. 1. In the widest sense, the whole military force of a nation, including both those engaged in military service as a business, and those competent and available for such service; specifically, the body of citizens enrolled for military instruction and discipline, but not subject to be called into actual service except in emergencies.

The king's captains and soldiers fight his battles, and yet . . . the power of the militia is he. --Jer. Taylor.

2. Military service; warfare. --Baxter.


n 1: civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army 2: the entire body of physically fit civilians eligible by law for military service; "their troops were untrained militia"; "Congress shall have power to provide for calling forth the militia"--United States Constitution