Drumhead court-martial

Drumhead court-martial
Drumhead Drum"head`, n. 1. The parchment or skin stretched over one end of a drum. [1913 Webster]

2. The top of a capstan which is pierced with sockets for levers used in turning it. See Illust. of {Capstan}. [1913 Webster]

{Drumhead court-martial} (Mil.), a summary court-martial called to try offenses on the battlefield or the line of march, when, sometimes, a drumhead has to do service as a writing table. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • drumhead court-martial — n. [from the former use of a drum as the judges table] a summary court martial held in the field for trial of offenses committed during military operations or troop movements …   English World dictionary

  • Drumhead court-martial — A drumhead court martial is a court martial held in the field to hear urgent charges of offences committed in action. The term is said to originate from the use of a drumhead as an improvised writing table,[1][2] altar for religious services,… …   Wikipedia

  • drumhead court-martial — noun a military court convened to hear urgent charges of offenses committed in action • Topics: ↑military, ↑armed forces, ↑armed services, ↑military machine, ↑war machine • Hypernyms: ↑court martial * * * …   Useful english dictionary

  • drumhead court-martial — a court martial held, usually on a battlefield, for the summary trial of charges of offenses committed during military operations. [1825 35; so called from the use of a drumhead as a table during the court martial] * * * …   Universalium

  • drumhead court-martial — drum′head court′ mar tial n. mil a court martial usu. held on a battlefield • Etymology: 1825–35; so called from the use of a drumhead as a table …   From formal English to slang

  • drumhead court-martial — noun Etymology: from the use of a drumhead as a table Date: 1835 a summary court martial that tries offenses on the battlefield …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • drumhead court martial — n. informal brief court martial held on a battlefield for an offense that was committed during military operations …   English contemporary dictionary

  • drumhead court martial — noun a court martial held (originally round an upturned drum for a table) for the summary trial of charges of offences committed during military operations …  

  • drumhead court-martial — A summary military trial …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Court-martial — redirects here. For other uses, see Court Martial (disambiguation). The field court martial of the Finnish 15th Brigade in July 1944 A court martial (plural courts martial, as martial is postpositive) is a military court. A court martial is… …   Wikipedia

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