selective service

American  

noun

1. compulsory military service.

---

selective service British  

noun

1. (formerly) compulsory military service under which men were conscripted selectively

---

Etymology

Origin of selective service

First recorded in 1919

Example Sentences

It said some overhauls will arrive earlier than scheduled, including the removal of selective service and drug conviction requirements for federal aid eligibility.

From Washington Post

Older Americans remember one of the country’s previous uses of lotteries as public policy, selective service, to choose which young people would kill and die in Vietnam.

From Los Angeles Times

All men age 18-25 are still required to register for the selective service.

From Fox News

“Right now, registering for selective service really means nothing about the likelihood of you serving in the current military,” Mittelstadt said.

From Seattle Times

Last month, a federal court in Texas agreed, holding that the selective service registration requirement should apply to women as well as men.

From Washington Post