bivouac

Everyday

1. A simple, temporary camp, often without a tent, made by soldiers or mountain climbers. tree →
2. (verb) To camp outside for the night in such a camp. tree →
3. A bivvy (bivvy bag), a small waterproof shelter for one person. tree →

In the lessons

In scouting, Duke of Edinburgh and outdoor-education trips, children learn to make a bivouac shelter from branches or a tarp. In history and adventure stories, soldiers bivouac in fields before a battle. Safety: keep warm and dry, never light fires under a tarp.

Examples

• We built a bivouac out of sticks and leaves in the woods. tree →
• The climbers bivouacked on a ledge halfway up the mountain. tree →
• The soldiers set up a bivouac by the river. tree →
• Our scout group slept in bivouacs for one night. tree →
• He carries a bivvy bag in case he gets stuck on the hills. tree →
• The bivouac kept out most of the rain. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: past and -ing forms add «k»: bivouacked, bivouacking. Say BIV-oo-ak. Informal short form: bivvy (UK).