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What does got off lightly mean in the following sentence - America and Britain got off lightly in World War 2?
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
It means that they suffered comparatively little. The expression "got off lightly" is an idiom, referring to someone who made serious mistakes yet suffered few consequences for them. You might see it in an article about a convicted criminal who receives little or no jail time, and people who think he should have gotten a harsher sentence say that he "got off lightly." SO, in this example, the question is asking about whether the US and England endured very little hardship during the war.
Of course, this is a myth. The US and England suffered many casualties, as soldiers (as well as sailors and marines) from both countries were killed in battle; by some counts, the US alone lost more than 400,000 of its fighting men, and large numbers were also wounded. England too suffered greatly during the war, losing about 380,000 men. Also, parts of London were deluged with German bombs and many homes and buildings were destroyed, as well as civilians being killed. And while the US and England were on the winning side, it is difficult to make the case that the long and brutal conflict was easy, nor is it true that the Allies got everything and Germany, Japan and Italy got nothing. Rather, there were agreements made by the US and England to help the losing side to rebuild and recover.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
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Who wrote tread lightly upon this earth seeing understanding but never imposing?
William Bourn
Why did Southern officers in the US Army take their oaths so lightly after their states seceded?
I don't know what the exact wording of the oath was but presumeably it was similar to the modern oath in which an officer swears to defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic and to obey yhe orders of the President of the United States and the officers appointed over him. The southern officers did not take their oath lightly. Many of them struggled with their consciences to determine the honorable course of action. Some of them, of course, sided with the Union. For those that did not though, you must understand that their concept of what their country was was different from yours and mine. We think of a state as a subordinate unit in a country but that is not what the word actually means. The word state means a sovereign country. To many southernors of that time their country was their state. The United States was an alliance of sovereign countries and when their state, their country, withdrew from that alliance, which they saw the constitution as permitting, then their oath to the constitution was no longer binding. Michael Montagne Up until the end of the Civil War, it was common to refer to the national government as THESE United States. (If I remember correctly, Lincoln referred to the nation that way in the Gettyburg Address.) The term, THE United States became commonly used only after the Civil War, when the concept of Federalism was changed to the states being subordinate 'provinces' of the federal government. They took their oaths lightly because of one simple reason: What they were giving their word to did not exist anymore.
What types of ships were used in the American Civil War?
Monitor and Merrimack (vessel ships). Only fought once. Made of iron at the front. Ironclad ships were a new invention. These ships were covered with iron plates that would deflect shells. Tin-clad ships were river boats that were lightly protected by iron. "Blockade Runners" were a name applied to a varitey of fast ocean ships that were used to get through the Union blockade.
What is a union ironclad?
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armour plates. In the US civil war, The Union Navy had multiple types of ironclads, including the Mississippi river ironclads, and a smaller number of lightly-armoured ships called tinclads. The Confederacy had only shore batteries and a single river ironclad (CSS Arkansas) to oppose them.
How were families notified of soldiers death?
Usually by telegram. Telegrams were also sent to the next of kin to notify them of the soldier's being wounded (specifying lightly, severely, etc) or going missing. Letters would follow, and often friends of the deceased soldier would write his family, and many officers tried to write families when their men were lost. But people dreaded seeing the Western Union Telegram delivery guy in the neighborhood.
How do you use lightly in a sentence?
The nurse lightly dabbed some medicine onto my cut to disinfect it.This is a decision that cannot be taken lightly.
Can you have a sentence with an adjective and adverb?
Yes it is possible to have a sentence with an adjective and an adverb. eg The small girl danced lightly across the stage. small = adjective lightly = adverb
How can you use the word singed in a sentence?
The match burned lightly.
What is the adverb in this sentence add milk to the mixture and whisk lightly for five minutes?
The adverb is 'lightly' because it describes how to do something.
A sentence using the word Titanic?
"The titanic achievements of our industrial age, are not to be lightly dismissed."
How can you use the word agoraphobia in a sentence?
I will not feed your agoraphobia- let's go out- somewhere , anywhere!Agoraphobia is not to be taken lightly.
What is the superlative form of lightly?
most lightly
What does once lightly?
Once means Foot ------ Lightly
When was Lightly Latin created?
Lightly Latin was created in 1966.
How do you make sentence with chain of hills?
This chain of hills is often lightly referred to as a range. We will now trot over this chain of hills.
How do you tickle a bellybotton?
Stick your finger lightly into the belly button and lightly press and wiggle it. Lightly move it in and out and tickle the belly around it too.
How does Marian from Robin Hood on BBC America do her hair?
Most of the time she has her hair in tight curls and laying lightly on her shoulders. other times she wears it up in a bun.
