Sarn'tn.
/sɑːnt/ Military colloquial.
= sergeant n. 8. (Frequently used as a form of address.)
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer by rank > [noun] > sergeant
sergeant1548
halberd1595
sarge1867
Sgt.1899
Sarn't1930
snake1945
1930 J. Brophy & E. Partridge Songs & Slang Brit. Soldier: 1914–1918 159 Sarnt, a smart and soldierly pronunciation of sergeant. Only used before the N.C.O.'s surname, e.g. ‘Sarnt Smith’, but ‘Here's the Sergeant’. Also in Sarnt-Major, but here it could be used without the surname.
1945 Gen 30 June 50/1 An erb would turn up from no-where, come up to the sarnt and ‘Flight Sarnt So-and-So's compliments, Sarnt, and can A. C. Actor be released from polo practice’.
1959 I. Jefferies Thirteen Days i. 21 ‘Ah, Sar'nt,’ he said, nodding to my salute.
1972 F. Durbridge Bat out of Hell v. 157 Let me put you in the picture, Sar'nt.
Derivatives
Sarn't-major n. = sergeant-major n. 2. Cf. Sar-Major n.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warrior > soldier > leader or commander > officer by rank > [noun] > sergeant-major
first sergeant1776
sergeant-major1802
company sergeant major1813
S.M.1890
top1898
top sergeant1898
major1901
RSM1913
top cutter1917
top kick1918
Sar-Major1919
top soldier1926
Sarn't-major1946
1946 G. Kersh Clean, Bright & Slightly Oiled i. 4 Even the Sarn-Major peed 'imself laughing.
1972 G. Bell Villains Galore vii. 85 ‘Get out of there. Sarn't major...’ They got out and were searched. The sergeant-major was thorough.
1978 R. Mark Office of Constable iii. 39 A bugler whose lip split whilst blowing the single-note half-hour call provoked the falsetto scream, ‘Sarn't major... Take his name for idle blowing of the 'orn.’
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1982; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
<
n.1930