Discuss reconnoiter here.

verb transitive

1) To examine by the eye; specifically to make a reconnaissance or preliminary survey of; to examine or survey, as a district, etc., for military, geological, or engineering purposes.

2) To know again; to recognize.

“He would hardly have reconnoitred Wildgoose . . . in his short hair and present uncouth appearance.” - Graves

verb intransitive

To make a survey or reconnaissance.

[Old French recognoistre, reconoistre (French reconnaitre = to recognize (q.v.).]

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Reconnoiter is one of those interesting words that seems to be an orphan. Does one connoiter before reconnoitering? Other, similarly mysterious words include rebuttal and rebuke.

You can holster your weapon, but you must upholster your sofa, and never vice-versa.
You can remit a check, but you can mit it, unmit it, or overmit it.

Befuddling, isn’t it.

Only Americans reconnoiter - they do it whilst smoking, playing walkmans and talking loudly in close proximity to a hidden enemy.

Those who reconnoitre do it by stealth, style and sophistication, and come back with useable information about someone who is unaware of their presence.

I found out some info’s about this word…Well, it’s very interesting.

Word: re·con·noi·ter
Variant(s):or re·con·noi·tre \ˌrē-kə-ˈnȯi-tər, ˌre-kə-\
Function:verb
Inflected Form(s):
re·con·noi·tered or re·con·noi·tred; re·con·noi·ter·ing or re·con·noi·tring \-ˈnȯi-tə-riŋ, -ˈnȯi-triŋ\
Etymology:
obsolete French reconnoître, literally, to recognize, from Old French reconoistre — more at recognize
Date:1707
transitive verb : to make a reconnaissance of intransitive verb : to engage in reconnaissance

This is a simple dictionary definition, not “interesting info’s,” which is not grammatically correct. Learn English.

Psst: (Quiet, please. I’m on a mission.)

How to those who reconnoitre spell the present participial form of the word? If I am ever captured by the enemy because of smoking, listening to my Walkman, or talking loudly, I might need to know.

I eagrely await your answre.

“on reconnaissance”.

You could tuck your head down into those capacious overalls and act as a listening post in a Chinese laundry, only problem being that Bandito would keep trying to leap out of one of the pockets with a grenade launcher.

Are you suggesting that I have Bandito in my pocket. Nay. I am not a marsupial, and Bandito won’t be pigeon holed.

But, seriously, what is the present participial spelling of reconnoitre, centre, etc., in the King’s English?

I dunno saparris - we look after lots of orphaned joeys in overalls like yours, hung on the back of the scullery door.  I’ll find a photo.

I’m off on a recce to see the King, will answer upon return.

I suspect that the colonists went with the -er form of -re words because of just this issue. Much bettre than waiting for a royal missive with a decree on participial spellings.

Fortunately, we have a King on hand in Bahrain.  I reckon-he-ought-to be an authority on the subject, and the call is:-

reconnoitre - loitreing with intent

And so, How did your visit with the king go?  Was it an audience? Or were you on recon of the royal palace seeking the harem.  Don’t let Vikki know.
And saparris, silverback are not marsupials.  If you have some sort of joey on hand, silverback it ain’t.

The marsupial reference was to the pock-ets in my overalls, which douglang likes to pick-at.

saparris - 04 May 2009 08:59 AM

But, seriously, what is the present participial spelling of reconnoitre, centre, etc., in the King’s English?

Here in England, it’s ‘reconnoitring’ and ‘centring’ (but pronounced like ‘reconnoitering’ etc).

saparris - 04 May 2009 03:51 PM

The marsupial reference was to the pock-ets in my overalls, which douglang likes to pick-at.

Yes, I caught the reference to the osh-kosh,b’gosh from the picture.
What makes you think doug likes to pick at things??

What makes you think doug likes to pick at things?

As the hunter once said, pointing to a blind buck, “No eye deer.”