artillery shell
8
7.5
- noun
- /ɑrˈtɪləri ʃɛl/
- Specialized
:
proyectil de artillería
- The soldiers took cover as an artillery shell landed nearby, sending debris flying.
North Korea is sending artillery shells to arm Russia because it's profitable to do so.
- North Korea is sending artillery shells to arm Russia because it's profitable to do so.
- Just imagine there were millions, I'll say it again, millions of artillery shells fired at the Somme.
- For months now, arms trackers have noticed Ukrainian forces using artillery shells, rockets and motors made in Iran.
- Suddenly an artillery shell struck a spot on the nearby beach below a bluff and exploded.
- After the war, the US Army blithely buried mustard gas artillery shells and left the area became known as Death Valley.
Examples
-
The Soviet Union would unilaterally destroy all ground-based tactical nuclear weapons (including artillery shells, mines, and warheads on rockets and anti-aircraft missiles).
Academic text (1991) -
North Korea is sending artillery shells to arm Russia because it's profitable to do so.
-
In 30 minutes, about 40 artillery shells were fired into the town.
Blog text (30) -
Then he opens another case and takes out the huge artillery shell to load it.
Fiction book (1997) -
Israeli forces fired several tank or artillery shells in response.
Blog text (1) -
Suddenly an artillery shell struck a spot on the nearby beach below a bluff and exploded.
-
For months now, arms trackers have noticed Ukrainian forces using artillery shells, rockets and motors made in Iran.
-
At its peak production, the Macon Arsenal produced 10,000 rounds of small arms ammunition and 125 artillery shells per day.
Academic text (2007) -
Over 1,000 aerial bombs and 105 155-mm artillery shells contained mustard gas, with an additional 280 tons of gas in stock.
Academic text (1993) -
The United States unilaterally pledged to eliminate all ground-launched tactical nuclear weapons, including some 1,300 artillery shells and 850 short-range missile warheads.
Academic text (1991)
Synonyms
387
7.2
A single bullet or shell used in a gun
46
6.6
An object thrown or fired through the air, often used as a weapon
32
8.8
A shell that explodes in the air and scatters small metal balls
1
6.2
A metal explosive shot from a tank's main gun
1
8.6
An explosive fired from a cannon that releases poisonous gas when it explodes
A small fast bomb fired from a gun that makes a loud whistling sound and then explodes with a bang
How Big
∞
1.8
- Specialized
8
7.5
- Archaic
- Archaic
2
8.6
23
4.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a projectile fired by large-caliber guns' is directly derivable from combining 'artillery' (large-calibre guns) with 'shell' (a projectile). This noun-noun compound follows a straightforward compositional pattern found in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.
Etymology
The noun artillery shell combines artillery, meaning 'big guns', and shell, meaning a hard case that holds something inside. Picture a metal 'shell' like an egg full of explosives that a big gun shoots. The hard outer case keeps the explosive until it hits, so the phrase now means 'a bomb-like object shot from large guns'.