Wiktionary
n. (alternative case form of air marshal nodot=1 English) (qualifier: found when the term is used as a title).
WordNet
n. a person trained by the government in hijacking and terrorist tactics who (for security reasons) is a passenger aboard an airline flight [syn: sky marshal]
Wikipedia
Air marshal (Air Mshl or AM) is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure.
Air marshal is a three-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-8, equivalent to a vice-admiral in the Royal Navy or a lieutenant-general in the British Army or the Royal Marines. In other NATO forces, such as the United States Armed Forces and the Canadian Armed Forces, the equivalent three-star rank is lieutenant general.
The rank of air marshal is immediately senior to the rank of air vice-marshal and immediately subordinate to the rank of air chief marshal.
Officers in the rank of air marshal typically hold very senior appointments such as commander-in-chief of an air force or a large air force formation. Officers in the ranks of air chief marshal and air vice-marshal are also referred to generically as air marshals. Occasionally, air force officers of marshal rank are considered to be air marshals.
Air marshal (abbreviated as AIRSMHL) is the second highest active rank of the Royal Australian Air Force and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Royal Air Force rank of air marshal, it is also considered a three-star rank. The rank is held by the Chief of Air Force (CAF), and when the Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF), the Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS) and/or the Chief of the Capability Development executive (CCDE) are Air Force officers.
Air marshal is a higher rank than air vice-marshal and is lower than air chief marshal. It is a direct equivalent of vice admiral in the Royal Australian Navy and lieutenant general in the Australian Army.
The insignia is two light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) over a light blue band on a black broad band.
The Australian Air Corps adopted the RAF rank system on 9 November 1920 and this usage was continued by its successor, the Royal Australian Air Force. However, the rank of air marshal was not used by the Australian Armed Forces until 1940 when Richard Williams, a RAAF officer, was promoted.
Usage examples of "air marshal".
If Abbot Zerchi had not been aware of the fact that a certain air marshal and a certain cardinal archbishop happened to be friends, the ostensible pilgrimage to New Rome by twenty-seven bookleggers with bindlestiffs might well have proceeded on shank's mare, for lack of permission to use rapid transport jet.
The Majowsky was the meeting place of former airmen, such as the stunt flier Udet and the later Air Marshal Erhard Milch, who often bought us poor lieutenants a drink.
Airport security will still be at maximum levels, and we want to implement an air marshal program again, but we want to do away with the special air cordons, the military weapons in place around the airports under Class B airspace, and all military control of access to the air traffic control system.
All the while the car raced down the moonlit highway to the city, and twisted through blacked-out streets to Pug's quarters, the air marshal said not a word.
One wore an Air Marshal's insignia, apparently only here to lend authority, for one of the other men actually led this sortie.
The general adjourned the meeting and hurried away to call Air Marshal Rexton, then sent his aide back to invite me to lunch.
Given that we have thirty thousand commercial flights each day, an air marshal on every flight would require creating one of the nation's largest law-enforcement agencies.
And even if it could, an air marshal isn't likely to be more effective than the combined will and intervention of regular passengers.
Further, passengers may incorrectly assume that an air marshal is on board, and thus hesitate to act if needed.
Given a little money, and with her behind him, he can hardly fail to become an Air Marshal.