The Things They Carried vocabulary #2

tailsman

a charm; an object marked with magic signs

Mundane

commonplace; ordinary

Affluent

wealthy

pedal pushers

calf-length slacks worn by women and girls

Phosphorescence

a glowing in the dark

shrapnel

metal fragments from an exploding shell

Catharsis

relief of emotional tensions

tangible

able to be felt

fatigues

military uniforms

MIA

missing in action

compress

a soft pad applied to a part of the body for various medical treatments

gagrene

decay of body tissue

embalming fuid

preservatives treated to corpses to prevent decay

complicity

involvement as an accomplice

stand-down

to go off duty

SOP

standard operating procedure

hootch

a dwelling, especially a thatched hut (slag)