Survival Skills

noun a temporary camp without tents or cover, used especially by soldiers or mountaineers

verb to stay or camp in a bivouac

• The soldiers set up a bivouac in the forest for the night.
• We decided to bivouac by the lake for the weekend.
• Let's bivouac in the backyard tonight, it'll be fun!
• After a long journey, he found solace in the bivouac of his own mind.

verb to defend oneself against something; to look after and provide for oneself

• She had to fend off multiple inquiries from the press.
• I had to fend for myself when my parents went out of town.
• I had to fend off that annoying guy at the bar last night.
• He had to fend off his inner demons to find peace.

noun a long, tiring walk

verb to walk for a long distance, especially over rough terrain

• The soldiers had to footslog through the muddy terrain to reach their destination.
• We had to footslog all the way up the hill to get to the concert.
• I'm not looking forward to footslogging through this crowd to get to the front of the line.
• She felt like she was footslogging through paperwork all day at the office.

noun a hole or burrow in the ground used by soldiers as a shelter against enemy fire or as a firing point

• The soldiers took cover in a foxhole during the intense battle.
• Let's dig a foxhole to hide from the enemy.
• I dove into the foxhole to avoid getting shot.
• She retreated to her emotional foxhole whenever she felt overwhelmed.

noun small sticks or twigs used for starting a fire

• The campers gathered dry kindling to start the fire.
• We need some kindling to get this fire going.
• Grab some twigs and stuff, that'll work as kindling.
• Their argument was like kindling to a fire, quickly escalating into a heated debate.

noun the act of whipping or beating someone or something with a whip or rope

adjective violent or forceful in nature

• The sailor secured the boat with extra lashing to prepare for the storm.
• I saw the wind lashing the trees outside, it's really picking up.
• She was lashing out at everyone in the office, she must be having a bad day.
• His words were like a lashing, cutting through her defenses and leaving her vulnerable.

noun a thing on which someone or something depends or which provides a means of escape or assistance in a difficult situation

• The lifeline provided by the government helped the struggling families during the economic crisis.
• I always turn to my best friend as my lifeline whenever I need advice.
• My phone is my lifeline - I can't go anywhere without it!
• Music has always been a lifeline for her, helping her through tough times.

noun a difficult or painful experience

adjective relating to a difficult or painful experience

• The survivor shared their harrowing ordeal with the authorities.
• I can't believe she had to go through such a terrible ordeal.
• That was one hell of an ordeal to deal with.
• Facing the challenges of starting a new business was like going through a long and difficult ordeal.

noun a fixed amount of a commodity officially allowed to each person during a time of shortage, as in wartime.

• The soldiers were given daily rations to sustain them during their mission.
• Make sure you grab your rations before we head out on our hike.
• I'm running low on rations, can you spare some snacks?
• His emotional rations were depleted after a long day at work.

noun the action of drawing off liquid by means of a siphon

verb to draw off or convey (liquid) by means of a siphon

• The act of siphoning fuel from a vehicle is illegal and can result in serious consequences.
• I heard that someone has been siphoning gas from cars in the neighborhood.
• I can't believe he's siphoning money from the company for his own use.
• She felt like someone was siphoning the happiness out of her life.

noun a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary, and cold conditions, leading to inflammation, pain, and possible tissue damage

• Trench foot is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure to damp and unsanitary conditions.
• My grandpa told me stories about soldiers getting trench foot during the war.
• I heard Billy got a bad case of trench foot after camping in the rain for a week.
• Being stuck in that toxic work environment felt like getting trench foot on my soul.

noun a type of camping that is done in remote or undeveloped areas, often without designated campsites or amenities

• Wild camping is the act of setting up a tent and camping in a remote area without designated campsites.
• I love going wild camping with my friends, it's so liberating to be out in nature without any restrictions.
• Let's ditch the campgrounds and go wild camping this weekend, it'll be epic!
• Embarking on this new business venture feels like wild camping - exciting, unpredictable, and full of adventure.

noun a type of plant, specifically a genus of flowering plants in the family Orchidaceae

• Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of the Hunger Games series.
• I love how badass Katniss is in the Hunger Games movies.
• Katniss is a total boss when it comes to archery.
• Her determination and resilience make her the Katniss of our group.

noun a small amount of saliva used for cleaning or washing something

• The nurse performed a spit wash on the wound before applying the bandage.
• I just gave my shoes a quick spit wash to clean off the dirt.
• I'll just give this plate a spit wash before we use it again.
• He tried to spit wash his mistake by apologizing profusely.