martinet: Dictionary.com Word of the Day

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Word of the Day for Monday April 3, 2006

martinet \mar-t'n-ET\, noun: 1. A strict disciplinarian. 2. One who lays stress on a rigid adherence to the details of forms and methods.

He is an unmitigated tyrant, a martinet, the sort of man who disapproves of his son's eating the morning oatmeal with sugar -- instead of salt, which he himself prefers. -- David Quammen, "Punishing Natty," [1]New York Times, April 14, 1985

His insistence on strict discipline began to earn him a reputation among his men as an unfeeling martinet. -- Michiko Kakutani, "Still Pondering the Myth Of Custer's Last Stand," [2]New York Times, May 28, 1996

At first, the recruits hate and fear the sergeant, but gradually they come to realize that he's been turning them into soldiers. It is the example of this unlovable martinet, not the "Good Joe" who replaces him, that will help them survive in combat. -- Anthony Quinn, "Revolutionary Dead Ends," [3]New York Times, April 29, 2001

Players coached by him have cursed the day they ever set sight on such a merciless martinet. -- Gerry Thornley, "Chief architect oversees grand plan," [4]Irish Times, February 19, 2000 _________________________________________________________

A martinet is so called after an officer of that name in the French army under Louis XIV.

References

1. http://www.nytimes.com/ 2. http://www.nytimes.com/ 3. http://www.nytimes.com/ 4. http://www.ireland.com/

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation

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