breech closer
- noun
- /briːtʃ ˈkloʊzər/
- Specialized
- The rifle's breech closer must be securely shut before firing.
Examples
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The design of the breech closer improved the safety of breech-loading weapons.
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A faulty breech closer can lead to misfires.
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After cleaning, he reinserted the breech closer into the barrel assembly.
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The breech closer was designed for quick cartridge changes.
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The rifle's breech closer must be securely shut before firing.
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The design of the breech closer improved the safety of breech-loading weapons.
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After cleaning, he reinserted the breech closer into the barrel assembly.
Synonyms
A sliding metal part in a rifle that ejects and loads cartridges
A metal part inside a gun that opens to load and closes to fire
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is compositionally built from 'breech' (the rear loading chamber) plus a clos-er/agent meaning 'one that closes'; thus its meaning 'a device that closes the breech' is directly derivable from the parts. Although the term is technical, the morphological formation (close → closer) and the noun-noun/agentive pattern are regular English, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Breech closer: The noun breech closer names the metal block that closes the back of a gun. The phrase comes from the simple image: the metal piece fits into the gun's breech, the back of the barrel, to close it so the gun can be fired safely.