platoon: [17] Platoon means etymologically ‘little ball’. It comes from French peloton, a diminutive form of pelote ‘ball’ (source of English pellet). The notion of a ‘small ball’ was extended in French to a ‘little cluster of people or group of soldiers’ – hence the meaning of English platoon. => pellet, pelota
platoon (n.)
1630s, from French peloton "platoon, group of people," from Middle French peloton (15c.), literally "little ball," hence, "agglomeration," diminutive of Old French pelote "ball" (see pellet).
platoon (v.)
in baseball, "to alternate (a player) with another in the same position," 1967, from platoon (n.), which had been used in team sports since 1941.
实用例句
1. He is being guarded by a platoon of police.
有一队警察看守着他。来自柯林斯例句
2. Platoon sergeants fell their men in on the barrack square.
排长们在营房广场上整顿队伍.来自《简明英汉词典》
3. The platoon made its way to the pre - arranged rendezvous in the desert.
这个排向事先约定的沙漠中的会合点进发.来自《简明英汉词典》
4. The lieutenant was put in charge of an infantry platoon.
中尉被委任指挥一个步兵排.来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5. Seeing the platoon leader returning, everybody rushed up to meet him.
