General
and a wake-up
What does and a wake-up mean?
A phrase appended to a number of days remaining to include the last morning one has to wake up before leaving, as in 'three days and a wake-up.'
"Ten and a wake-up until I'm back stateside."
Origin
US military slang for counting down time in service or deployment.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'and a wake-up' mean?
It's a phrase added to a countdown of days left, accounting for the final morning you have to wake up before you leave — e.g. 'three days and a wake-up.'
Why do soldiers say 'and a wake-up'?
It psychologically shortens the count: the last day barely counts because you leave that morning, so it's tacked on separately as the final wake-up.
How is it used in a sentence?
You state the days remaining then add the phrase, as in 'Ten and a wake-up until I'm home.'
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