Crime, Conflict & Law - Military-Derived Expressions

Here you will find military-derived expressions that have entered everyday conversation.

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Crime, Conflict & Law
collateral damage
collateral damage [noun]

unintended negative consequence or harm resulting from an action

Ex: Policy changes often create collateral damage no one anticipated .
recon
recon [noun]

a preliminary investigation or survey to gather information

Ex:
mission accomplished
mission accomplished [sentence]

used to indicate that a task or set of tasks has been successfully completed

Ex: Mission accomplished after we fixed the leaky pipe .
to [drop|explode] a bombshell
to [drop|explode] a bombshell [phrase]

to reveal unexpected and shocking news or information that has a strong impact on those who receive it

Ex: When he confessed to his involvement in the incident , he dropped a bombshell on his family , who had no idea he was connected to it .
on {one's} radar
on {one's} radar [phrase]

used to refer to someone or something that has captured one's attention or is within one's awareness or consideration

Ex: Improving customer experience has always been on their radar as a priority .
to [bite] the bullet
to [bite] the bullet [phrase]

to start to deal with an inevitable challenge or difficulty

Ex: She knew she had to confront her fears and bite the bullet to speak in front of a large audience .
front line
front line [noun]

the center of action or the most critical position in a struggle or activity

Ex: Journalists on the front line reported directly from the conflict zone .
blowback
blowback [noun]

smoke exhaled from a pipe, joint, or cigarette into another person's mouth

Ex: She asked for a blowback to get a stronger hit .
to read off
to read off [verb]

to deliver a sharp verbal reprimand

Ex: The captain read off the recruits for sloppy uniforms .
on the double
on the double [phrase]

in a rapid or immediate manner, typically used to indicate urgent action

Ex:
Crime, Conflict & Law
Street Crime Fighting & Conflict Police & Law Enforcement Prison & Inmate Expressions
Military-Derived Expressions