States, noun

Origin:
U.S. EnglishShow more Transferred use of U.S. English the States the United States of America, hence meaning ‘home’ when used by soldiers serving abroad; but see quotation 1981.
military slang
1. The States: South Africa, home.
1977 National Serviceman, Informant‘Hell I can’t wait to get back to the States.’..‘Had a letter from the States today.’
1981 E. Prov. Herald 4 Mar. 12If a crisis arises in the family back in ‘the States’ it is treated as an emergency. The affectionate name for the Republic has its origins in the Orange Free State, I understand.
1984 Fair Lady 14 Nov. 133They are reluctant to talk, far preferring to tell you what they’ll do when they get back to the States — as everyone from the most wet-behind-the-ears private to the rugged and weatherbeaten commanding officer, calls South Africa.
1988 Personality 7 Nov. 27Sooner or later everyone goes back to live in ‘the States’ (armyspeak for the Republic).
1989 P. Kenny in Sunday Times 25 June 11For the South African troops it was back to the ‘States’ (South Africa).
2. combination
Stateside adverb [transferred use of U.S. English Stateside in the United States of America, probably a contraction of States side], in South Africa, at home.
1980 M. Van Biljon in Sunday Times 12 Oct. (Mag. Sect.) 5There’s some aggro about the attitudes at home (‘Stateside’)...‘The Israelis who fight go home as heroes. What do they feel for us Stateside when we get back?’...Stateside, we need to reassess our attitudes.
The States:South Africa, home.
, in South Africa, at home.
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19771989

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Stateside

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slang
State President, noun phrasen. phr.stay, verb intransitivev.
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