terr, noun

/tɜː/
Forms:
Also ter.
Origin:
Rhodesian military slang, abbreviation of terrorist.
1. Army slang. A derogatory term for a guerilla soldier; terro; terry. Also attributive.
1978 [see sense 2].
1980 Sunday Times 12 Oct. (Mag. Sect.) 5Not because I think the Swapo terr is a black man with a weapon he can’t handle. He’s good, with good weapons.
1982 Voice 30 MayMaybe these ouens really are trying to rid the country of ‘commies’ and ‘terrs’. But they should know better that change in this country cannot come overnight, and that violence is a big no, no in any Christian country.
1983 Star 27 Sept. 18A long way this, from the idea of galloping in and zapping a few terrs. This is real..the true background of those simple..news items which start ‘Defence Headquarters in Pretoria announces..’
1985 H. Prendini in Style Oct. 40In the army..Terrorists are ‘terrs’, Afrikaners are ‘rocks’ or ‘pebbles’.
1985 Frontline Aug. 54It was drummed into us that what we were there for was to moer the terrs. You feel nothing.
1985 Frontline [see skut sense 1].
1989 H. Hamann in Scope 24 Mar. 59The kind of dude who picked his teeth with a bowie knife and wore a string of terr ears around his neck.
2. figurative. Abbreviation of terrorist from the North (see terrorist).
1978 Sunday Times 9 Apr. 1Seen any terrs lately? Not the abandoned-parcel-time-bomb types, but the Lowveld..inhabitants who desecrate the Kruger Park.
A derogatory term for a guerilla soldier; terro; terry. Also attributive.
Abbreviation of terrorist from the North (see terrorist).
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19781989

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slang
figurative or allusive
tent-wagon, nounn.territorial authority, noun phrasen. phr.
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