▪ I. Mickey U.S. slang.
(ˈmɪkɪ)
[f. Mickey Mouse.]
A type of radar-assisted bombsight. Also attrib.
| 1944 News (San Francisco) 28 Nov. 7/3 ‘Mickey’, a sensational radar device which ‘sees’ through darkness, clouds and artificial smoke. 1944 Time 11 Dec. 24 Mickey was a British invention, freely given to the U.S. U.S. scientists later developed an improved model. It was first used by U.S. bombers just over a year ago; today every fleet of heavy bombers over Europe presumably is or will be equipped with it, on day or night raids. 1945 News (San Francisco) 15 Aug. 10 (Advt.), Mickey radar sends out super-high frequency radio waves which bounce back from solid targets and are picked up by the radar receiver and transformed into a radar picture on a screen like the one in a home television receiver. 1954 Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §819 Mickey, the improved American airborne radar. 1955 M. Reifer Dict. New Words 131/2 Mickey.., a radar-type bomb-sight that permits air navigation in zero visibility and pinpoint strategic bombing despite overcast or darkness. Named for the cartoon figure, Mickey Mouse, created by Walt Disney. |
▪ II. Mickey
var. Mick1 b, Mickey Finn, Mickey Mouse.