bivouac

English

WOTD – 20 August 2008

Alternative forms

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from French bivouac (earlier biouac, bivac), from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“reinforcements of guard or town watch”), from bii- + Wacht (“watch, guard”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɪv.u.æk/, /ˈbɪv.wæk/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -æk

Noun

bivouac (plural bivouacs)

  1. An encampment for the night, usually without tents or covering.
    • 2014, Patrick Armstrong, The Log of a Snow Survey, →ISBN:
      Townsend hare inhabit this area, particularly above the cabin, and a skier is likely to have one explode from a tree well and disappear into the whiteness as he skis by. Life is a constant bivouac for them -- they spend days huddled in tree wells during storms -- but I suspect they are as content and warm in their luxurious coats as we are in a cabin.
  2. Any temporary encampment.
  3. A temporary shelter constructed generally for a few nights.
    • 1977, K.M. Elizabeth Murray, Caught in the Web of Words, Oxford: Oxford University Press, page 63:
      Behold the Mansion reared by Dædal Jack!
      See the Malt stored in many a plethoric sack,
      In the proud cirque of Juan's bivouac!
    • September 23, 2005, Boston Globe:
      The outing begins by Thursday noon, when the recreational vehicles start rumbling into town and their owners set up bivouacs.
  4. (dated) The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack.
  5. (zoology) A structure formed by migratory ants out of their own bodies to protect the queen and larvae.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

bivouac (third-person singular simple present bivouacs or bivouacks, present participle bivouacing or bivouacking, simple past and past participle bivouacked)

  1. (transitive, intransitive)To set up camp.
    We'll bivouac here tonight.
    • 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia:
      They reached the fir wood which had caused them so much trouble while it was still daylight, and bivouacked in a hollow just above it. It was tedious gathering the fire wood; […]
  2. (intransitive) To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army.
  3. (intransitive) To encamp for the night without tents or covering.

Derived terms

Translations

French

Alternative forms

Etymology

From earlier bivoie, biouac, bivac, from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“a patrol of citizens added - in time of alarm or commotion - to the regular town watch”), from bii- (“by-”) + Wacht (“watch, guard”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bi.vwak/

Noun

bivouac m (plural bivouacs)

  1. bivouac (encampment for the night)

Derived terms

Descendants

Further reading

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