(US, _, military) , a flying boat and amphibious aircraft.
(US, _, military) , a flying boat and amphibious aircraft.
Anyway, he saw us and come in low and three hours later, a big fat PBY comes down and start to pick us up.
PBY means: , a flying boat and amphibious aircraft.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
PBY means: , a flying boat and amphibious aircraft.. It is military jargon and mostly appears in service contexts, war fiction, or among veterans and their families. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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(US, _, military) A maritime patrol aircraft.
Patrol bomber is a US military designation for a type of aircraft designed to combine long-range maritime surveillance with offensive strike capability — essentially a warplane that could fly out over vast stretches of ocean, hunt enemy submarines or ships, and attack them directly. The term was especially prominent during World War II, where patrol bombers like the PBY Catalina played a critical role in the Battle of the Atlantic. It's an older classification largely replaced by modern maritime patrol aircraft.
(military, US) A type of fast motor torpedo boat used by the US Navy during World War II.
(aviation, slang) An aircraft pilot, especially of a military combat aircraft.
PBY means: , a flying boat and amphibious aircraft.. Register: informal, military jargon. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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