barnstorming circus
A form of entertainment in which stunt pilots perform at venues like county fairs.
Board of Aldermen
A municipal legislative council.
britching strop
A britching strap, attached to a saddle to keep a pack in place on a horse.
camber
On an aircraft, the arched curve of an airfoil.
canebrake
An area of land with a dense growth of sugarcane.
cinch strop
The strap that holds the saddle onto a horse.
drummer
A traveling salesman.
Elk's Club
An American social club founded in 1868
fuselage
The body of an airplane.
Handley-Page
A bomber plane made by the Handley-Page, Limited aircraft manufacturing company.
jury struts
Parts of an airplane that provide structural stability and prevent wing strut vibration.
Lewis
An automatic machine gun of American design, used mostly by the British Empire in WWI and WWII.
mess
A dining hall in a military camp.
mole
A stone wall in the sea, used as a breakwater.
noblesse oblige
This French term translates to "nobility obligates," and refers to the idea that with wealth comes responsibility.
oilskin
A garment made waterproof by treatment with oil.
Phi Beta Kappa
A national honor society of college graduates of academic distinction.
portico
A porch with columns to support its roof.
puttee
A strip of cloth wound around the lower leg as part of a military uniform.
shikepoke
"Shikepoke" is an onomatopoetic name for the American bittern, a bird distinguished by the three-syllable pumping sound it makes.
Skull and Bones
An elite secret society at Yale University.
snaffle
A common type of bit used in horseback riding.
standers
Hunters assigned to stand in a specific spot on the periphery of the hunt.
stripling
A youth.
