Full Screw

[CHRIS]

Where does 'Full Screw' come from pertaining to the rank of Corporal in the British Army

[Quizmonster]

The 'full' part is a reference to the fact that the rank is complete, as it were. For example, both Lieutenant-Colonels and Colonels are addressed as 'Colonel' but only a Colonel is called a 'full Colonel'. The same applies in lower ranks...eg a full Corporal is distinguished from a Lance-Corporal.

The word 'half' is also sometimes used to mark the lower of two ranks...eg Half Colonel = Lieutenant-Colonel. In the same way, a 'Half Bomb' is sometimes used in Army slang to mean a Lance-Bombardier rather then a full Bombardier.

The 'screw' part is probably related to the word's 17th century sense as "a means of pressure or coercion"...referring to the fact that a Corporal is the lowest-ranking NCO with any real power to 'order people about', as it were. This is the same sense as that whereby prison-warders are called 'screws', too, after the keys they carry around.

Another possibility here is the slang meaning of screw as 'wages'. Army ranks are often unpaid and/or 'acting', so one can be an Acting Unpaid Sergeant, for instance. You show sergeant's rank-chevrons and do a sergeant's duties, but you get only a corporal's pay. So, corporal = full screw might possibly be a reference to the fact that one both holds the rank and gets the appropriate pay.

(The 'screw' part of this response is 'educated guesswork', so it might be shot down in flames!)

[robber1]

I have been away for a while, but it is nice to see that quizmonster is still keping the standard high. Well done(again).

[Quizmonster]

Thanks for the kind comment, R. Good to see you back, too.

[smudge]

Whenever I read an 'interesting' question, I always suspect that Quizmonster will respond in an informative & positive manner! (Along with some others of course!).

[Quizmonster]

I thank you, too, S. You're most kind.