General
blivet
What does blivet mean?
A large collapsible rubber bladder for carrying fuel (POL); colloquially, an intractable mess, sometimes glossed as ten pounds of something in a five-pound bag.
"Rig the blivet so we can sling-load the fuel."
Origin
US military slang.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 'blivet' in the military?
It's a large collapsible rubber bladder used to carry fuel (POL) in the field, often sling-loaded by helicopter.
What does 'blivet' mean as slang for a mess?
Colloquially it means an intractable, overstuffed situation — famously glossed as trying to fit ten pounds of manure into a five-pound bag.
Where does the word 'blivet' come from?
It's US military slang. The same word also names the classic optical illusion of an impossible three-pronged figure, reinforcing the 'impossible mess' sense.
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