smokey bear

plural smokey bears

1. alternativeAlternative form of Smokey Bear (“highway patrolman”).

   Well, we gotta get to Big Bear Mountain before those smokey bears close off the entrance to the mountains.

   2014, Jeffrey Otersen, Little Truckers, →ISBN, page 72

   2 more examples

   To protect themselves from the lurking police cruisers ("smokey bears"), truckers ("18-wheelers") purchased CB units in large numbers.

   1977, M. Wayne DeLozier, Consumer behavior dynamics: a casebook, page 251

   Just a mention of the man's name conjures up visions of 18 wheelers, diesel smoke belching from stacks, smokey bears, CB radio and its almost unintelligible jargon and the endless ribbon of interstate highways that seemingly go on forever.

   1982, The Road Way, page 46

alternative Smokey · alternative Smokey the Bear · alternative smokey bear · alternative smokey

1. A fictional bear dressed as a ranger who acts as a symbol of forest fire prevention, with the slogan "Only you can prevent forest fires."

   1994 marks the 50th anniversary of Smokey Bear, the world renowned symbol of forest fire prevention.

   1995, United States Forest Service Washington Office, Forest Service video library catalog, page 14

   2 more examples

   Bambi was released in 1942, and two years later the Smokey Bear campaign to reduce forest fires began.

   2009, Jon Nelson, Quetico: Near to Nature's Heart, →ISBN, page 209

   Smokey Bear is a perfect example of how an advertising campaign can impact the public's perception of fire.

   2009, John Robert Weir, Conducting Prescribed Fires: A Comprehensive Manual, →ISBN, page 22

plural Smokey Bears · alternative Smokey · alternative Smokey the Bear · alternative smokey bear · alternative smokey

1. A policeman, especially a highway patrol officer.

   There are laws on the books now, and the Smokey Bears Afloat are enforcing them.

   1977, Live Steam - Volume 11, page 12

   2 more examples

   Stan allowed as how last month that the driver, Joe Bob, had "punched out a Smokey Bear in that county and so for the next month or so we need to route him around DeKalb county as the Smokey Bears were still a-swarmin and looking for him."

   2003, Robert E. D. Woolsey, Richard Lovell Hewitt, Real World Operations Research: The Woolsey Papers, page 87

   We were moving along at a fast clip, when Henson yelled, "Slow down, I see some blue lights flashing. Smokey Bear has got somebody!"

   2004, Jackie Paxton, Lost in the 70s, →ISBN, page 75

2. A ranger or park service employee that deals with the public.

   God damn stupid fucking green-and-gray Smokey Bears. Rangers. Telling John Q. Public not to litter and to be sure and hold hands with your buddy on the scary paths.

   2013, Nevada Barr, The Rope, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   The Forest Service PR campaign now in high gear. Smokey Bears all over the place, giving talks to Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber, Junior Chamber, Legion, hunters, fishermen, Grange, […]

   1967, The Mountaineer, page 14

   Apparently a fellow running a trapline accidentally caught a marten, which is still a protected species though slowly increasing in numbers. The marten was turned over to the Smokey Bears so that, at least, it could be stuffed and displayed in the Voyageurs Park museum.

   1980, National Parks & Conservation Magazine, page 1

3. A firefighter.

   "Hi, boys!" Amber squeals to the other firemen, saving me. All the Smokey Bears hoot hello.

   2001, Sarah Mlynowski, Milkrun, page 95

   2 more examples

   Having fought many fires in the States, I sure didn't envy future Smokey Bears in that terrain.

   1976, Gary M. Smith, Windsinger, →ISBN, page 100

   Well, it turns out the Smokey Bears were right after all. What appeared to be a disaster has turned out to be not only a boon to the land but a boost to tourism, because the dramatic traces of fire added to its natural beauty.

   1998, Eric Nelson, The Mall of America: Reflections of a Virtual Community, →ISBN, page 209

4. A campaign hat.

   There were two of them— a man and a woman wearing neat Smokey Bears.

   1989, J. Edward Ames, Spellcaster, →ISBN, page 160

   3 more examples

   They swaggered around in their Smokey Bears, as if a felt hat would intimidate a short-fused grenade.

   2011, Robert Buettner, Orphanage: Jason Wander series - Book 1, →ISBN

   He stood with feet splayed, fists resting on his hips as he stared at us from beneath the brim of his Smokey Bear.

   2013, Glenn Starkey, Amazon Moon, →ISBN, page 36

   A few minutes later, I saw two old gunnery sergeants sashaying towards us, wearing shooting jackets and campaign hats! As soon as I saw these Smokey Bears bobbing over to us, I figured this could be some show.

   2014, Charles Stronge, Sniper in Action: History, Equipment, Techniques, →ISBN

5. slanggovernmentAn aircraft used to drop defoliants in the Vietnam War.

   Aircraft used to spread Agent Orange and other defoliants were known as Smokey Bears.

   2007, America, History and Life - Volume 44, Issue 3, page 660

   1 more example

   No Smokey Bears: You can't shoot something you can't see. The Air Force in Viet Nam has special teams that blast away tree leaves and other shrubbery beside canals that offer hiding places for the Viet Cong. The motto of these defoliation teams: "Only you can prevent forests."

   1966, The Conservationist - Volumes 21-22, page 34