Buy oneself out

[Artrella]

*I'm harping on military terms, as you must have noticed....I need an example of this expression since in neither of my dictionaries is there any(?)
(buy oneself out) obtain one's release from the armed services by payment.
I'd appreciate your kindly help.

 

[dave]

An example of to buy oneself out:

Although John had joined up for six years, he soon became disillusioned with army life and so bought himself out after three years.

Does this help?

I need an example of this expression since in neither of my dictionaries is there any(?)

.. since there aren't any in either of my dictionaries
.. since there isn't one in either of my dictionaries

 

[jacinta]

You can buy yourself out of the military???? I didn't know this was possible. To buy yourself out means literally to give money in exchange for interest or commitment. In other words, to extracate oneself from a business, one would pay money.

 

[cuchuflete]

You can buy yourself out of the military???? I didn't know this was possible. To buy yourself out means literally to give money in exchange for interest or commitment. In other words, to extracate oneself from a business, one would pay money.

Hola Jacinta- I think it is illegal today, but during the U.S. Civil War, it was possible to buy oneself out of the mandatory conscription for military service.

However, I don't believe that in the U.S., it was ever legal to abbreviate a service commitment by payment.

 

[Artrella]

An example of to buy oneself out:

Although John had joined up for six years, he soon became disillusioned with army life and so bought himself out after three years.

Does this help?



.. since there aren't any in either of my dictionaries
.. since there isn't one in either of my dictionaries

Thanks Dave for your corrections. My mind went blank when I was writing that mail and I just couldn't make head nor tail of what I wanted to say. Now it's very clear to me! And yes! yours is a sheer (?) meaningful example! I think I'll use it if a question about this appears in my test. Later, A.

 

[Artrella]

You can buy yourself out of the military???? I didn't know this was possible. To buy yourself out means literally to give money in exchange for interest or commitment. In other words, to extracate oneself from a business, one would pay money.

Jacinta, what does "extracate" mean?

 

[Focalist]

Jacinta, what does "extracate" mean?

"Extricate" means "release from an entanglement".

F

 

[cuchuflete]

A-

extricate ['ekstr?ke?t] verbo transitivo sacar (con dificultad)
**** to extricate oneself, lograr salirse [from, de]: she couldn't extricate herself from his grip, no podía liberarse de sus manos
-- Source: Diccionario Espasa Concise © 2000 Espasa Calpe


C

 

[Artrella]

Thanks people!

 

[Focalist]

You can buy yourself out of the military???? I didn't know this was possible.

Yes. This is from voluntary service in the British Army, when someone has "signed up" to serve a number of years but changes his or her mind at a later date. The sum of money is to compensate the Army for its "wasted investment" in training, etc. -- so it's quite analagous to buying oneself out of a commercial contract.

Example sentence: I bought myself out of the Army in 1991 for £200.

F

 

[jacinta]

Ahaa...gracias, Focalist. And also thank you for correcting my poor spelling!

 

[cuzican]

try looking on a search engine under military terms and abreviations.

it will come up with several sites concerning this .

If not I will ask my Navy buddies.