archie

plural archies

1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of Archie (“anti-aircraft artillery”).

   I had to take a large turn, for the "archies" were shooting pretty close.

   1919, Thomas Herbert Russell, America's War for Humanity, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   I'll pretend I'm scared of everything and sideslip away from every archie burst.

   1935, W E Johns, Biggles Learns to Fly

   Several of our planes droned overhead, undeterred by the German 'archies', machine-gun and rifle fire, but not as yet the contact monoplane.

   2013, I. L. (Dick) Read, Of Those We Loved: A Narrative 1914-1919 Remembered and Illustrated, →ISBN

1. A diminutive of the male given name Archibald, from the Germanic languages, also used as a formal given name.
2. rareA female given name.
3. A ghost town in Peninsula Township, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, United States.
4. A city in Cass County, Missouri, United States.
5. A former rural municipality in Manitoba, Canada, now part of Ellice-Archie.

plural Archies · alternative archie

1. World War IslanguncountablegovernmentAnti-aircraft artillery.

   But then, dodging airbursts of Archie on the Western Front hadn't exactly been a joyride either.

   2012, Pat Kelleher, The Alleyman, →ISBN

   2 more examples

   He was seen by an aeroplane, our Archie gunner and a whole division to crash in their lines just opposite our trenches, much jubilation and more congratulations.

   2013, Tyrrel M. Hawker, Hawker VC- The First RFC Ace: The Life of Major Lanoe Hawker VC DSO: 1890-1916., →ISBN

   On a cloudy day one can hop in and out of the clouds, greatly to the annoyance of some Archie commander who, just when he has got range and direction and is about to let fly, finds that his bird has disappeared into a cloud. He fills thatcloud with HE but his quarry emerges from another nearby with a gesture of derision which the gunners below may imagine, though cannot see. On a sunny day, Archie is up early, for he knows that aircraft will be silhouetted against a blue sky. Then the experienced pilot hops in and out of the sun, there being no clouds, while the Archie commander rubs his smarting eyes and uses strong words.

   2014, Martin Bowman, Lost Wings of WWI: Downed Airmen on the Western Front 1914-1918, →ISBN

2. World War IcountableslanggovernmentA piece of anti-aircraft ordnance.

   Quickly our five machines dodged the Archies as we crossed.

   2016, Lieut.-Col. Harold Evans Hartney, Up And At ‘Em, →ISBN

   1 more example

   An inquisitive aeroplane, which had been hovering over the scene, was picked off as by an Archie and made a forced landing, man and machine buried in filth.

   1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed

plural Archies

1. informalcomputingAn Acorn Archimedes computer.

   And what about getting the data from the Archie to the PC?

   2005, Jonathan, “BBC Micro B and Acorn Archimedes A400 (?) to PC file transfer”, in comp.sys.acorn.networking (Usenet)

   1 more example

   FOR ARCHIE USERS. At last, a powerful database with details of every track (over 700 to date) on Classic CD discs from issue 1 to the present day is available for uses of Acorn (Archimedes) computers.

   1995, Classic CD, numbers 57-62