GI
[jee-ahy] Show IPA noun, plural GI's or GIs, adjective, verb, GI'd, GI'ing.
noun
1.
a member or former member of the U.S. armed forces, especially an enlisted soldier.
adjective
2.
rigidly adhering to military regulations and practices; regimented; spit-and-polish: a platoon leader who tried to be more GI than anyone else.
3.
of a standardized style or type issued by the U.S. armed forces: GI shoes; GI blankets.
4.
conforming to the regulations or practices of the U.S. armed forces: Every recruit must get a GI haircut.
5.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a U.S. enlisted person: a typical peacetime GI complaint.
verb (used with object)
6.
to clean in preparation for inspection: to GI the barracks.
verb (used without object)
7.
to follow military regulations and customs closely; shape up: You'd better learn to GI if you want to be promoted.
Also, G.I.
Origin:
1915–20; orig. abbreviation of galvanized iron, used in U.S. Army bookkeeping in entering articles (e.g., trash cans) made of it; later extended to all articles issued (as an assumed abbreviation of government issue ) and finally to soldiers themselves