artillery shell
8
7.5
- noun
- /ɑrˈtɪləri ʃɛl/
- Specialized
- The soldiers took cover as an artillery shell landed nearby, sending debris flying.
Loading YouTube…
Watch on YouTubeNorth 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'.