GI

/jee"uy"/, n., pl. GI's or GIs, adj., v., GI'd, GI'ing.

n.

1. a member or former member of the U.S. armed forces, esp. an enlisted soldier.

adj.

2. rigidly adhering to military regulations and practices; regimented; spit-and-polish: a platoon leader who tried to be more GI than anyone else.

3. of a standardized style or type issued by the U.S. armed forces: GI shoes; GI blankets.

4. conforming to the regulations or practices of the U.S. armed forces: Every recruit must get a GI haircut.

5. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a U.S. enlisted person: a typical peacetime GI complaint.

v.t.

6. to clean in preparation for inspection: to GI the barracks.

v.i.

7. to follow military regulations and customs closely; shape up: You'd better learn to GI if you want to be promoted.

Also, G.I.

[1915-20; orig. abbr. of galvanized iron, used in U.S. Army bookkeeping in entering articles (e.g., trash cans) made of it; later extended to all articles issued (as an assumed abbrev. of government issue) and finally to soldiers themselves]

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