Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. milit.) reconnaissance; orig. milit. use, now a general term for making a preliminary exploration, assessment etc.

1941		‘Rows and Rows and Rows’ in C.H. Ward-Jackson Airman’s Song Book (1945) 139: They never do a recco and they seldom do a raid.
1946		G. Gibson Enemy Coast Ahead (1955) 47: We were detailed to carry out a recco.
1950		A. Buckeridge Jennings Goes To School 50: I’ll have a recce.
1952		W. Sheldon Troubling of a Star 179: This mission was a road reccy.
1966		T. Keyes All Night Stand 92: Expeditions and forays and recces into dark corners.
1969		D. Pendleton Executioner (1973) 126: I’ll take Zitter and Bloodbrother out there for a recon.
1978		F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 151: I was paying a visit to London, sah. Undercover, you understand. Doing a reckie of the Peveril residance in Belgravia.
1983		M. Read Scouting for Boys in Best Radio Plays (1984) 134: Bit of a wood, an’ a stream. Worth a recce.
1999		Indep. Mag. 12 June 8: I took it upon myself to do a recce of pubs nearest the station.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 249: Could Uncle really have just turn up here? For a recce of his own?
2013		J. Stahl Happy Mutant Baby Pills 16: Like I say, part of my job is recon.
2019		A. Parks February’s Son 218: Murray wanted every aspect of the route covered and that meant a recce.
2020		S.A. Crosby Blacktop Wasteland 74: ‘We need to do some recon on the place’.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 654: ‘What you got hidden up your gash Love? Don’t mind if I do a recce do you?’.