REB • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Reb

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Reb

noun

'Johnny' was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; 'greyback' derived from their grey Confederate uniforms. Synonyms: greyback, Johnny, Johnny Reb, Rebel.

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Etymology of 'Reb'

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"Reb" Quotes from Famous Books

... hospital broke up, or a part of the army moving. These who arrived yesterday are cavalry men. Our troops had fought like devils, but got the worst of it. They were Kilpatrick's cavalry; were in the rear, part of Meade's retreat, and the reb cavalry, knowing the ground and taking a favorable opportunity, dash'd in between, cut them off, and shell'd them terribly. But Kilpatrick turn'd and brought them out mostly. It was last Sunday. (One of the most terrible sights and tasks is of ...

— Complete Prose Works - Specimen Days and Collect, November Boughs and Goodbye My Fancy • Walt Whitman

... here, each end de hall, an' a chance ter go out de winders, too. I mus' keep open ebery line ob retreat. Are dere any Yanks in de house?' She say, 'No,'—dat de Union cap'n very 'sid'rate. 'Curse him!' sed de reb; 'he spoil my ebenin' wid Miss S'wanee, but tell her I win her colors yet, an' pay dis Yankee cap'n a bigger interest in blows dan he eber had afo.' Den he 'splain how he got his men togedder, an' he foun' anoder 'tachment ...

— An Original Belle • E. P. Roe

Words linked to "Reb" : greyback, rebel, Confederate soldier, Johnny Reb, colloquialism