artillery
Etymology

From Middle English artillerie, from Old French artillerie, from artillier ("to equip, provide with contraptions"), alteration of atiller ("to arrange, adjust, put on clothes or, especially, pieces of armour") (influenced by art), itself from Vulgar Latin *apticlō < **apticulō, from Latin aptō.

Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ɑːˈtɪləɹi/
  • (America) IPA: /ɑɹˈtɪləɹi/
Noun

artillery

  1. Large projectile weapons, in modern usage usually large guns, but also rocket artillery.
  2. An army unit that uses such weapons, or a military formation using projectile weapons, such as archers.
  3. Gunnery.
  4. (archaic) Weapons, especially siege engines.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, 1 Samuel 20:40 ↗:
      And Ionathan gaue his artillery vnto his ladde, and said vnto him, Goe, cary them to the citie.
      And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. (American Standard Version)
  5. (UK, Ireland, slang) A gun, or multiple.
Translations Translations Translations


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