mortar
mor·tar1 / ˈmôrtər/ • n. 1. a cup-shaped receptacle made of hard material, in which ingredients are crushed or ground, used esp. in cooking or pharmacy: a mortar and pestle.2. a short, smoothbore gun for firing shells (technically called bombs) at high angles. ∎ a similar device used for firing a lifeline or firework.• v. [tr.] attack or bombard with shells fired from a mortar.
mor·tar2 • n. a mixture of lime with cement, sand, and water, used in building to bond bricks or stones.• v. [tr.] fix or join using mortar: the pipe can be mortared in place.DERIVATIVES: mor·tar·less adj.mor·tar·y adj.mortar
A. cup-shaped vessel in which drugs, etc., are pounded with a pestle XIII;
B. short piece of ordnance (so named from its squat shape) XVII (orig. mortar-piece XVI). partly — AN. morter, (O)F. mortier :- L. mortārium (to which the Eng. sp. was finally assim.); partly — MLG. mortēr (Du. mortier) — L.
Mortar
Mortar
MORTAR. So named because of its resemblance to pharmacist's mortar, a military mortar is a short gun used for firing projectiles at a high angle. It is most suitable for lobbing projectiles over walls of fortifications and over high ground that would mask the target from weapons having a flatter trajectory or for firing from and into heavy woods. There were gigantic siege mortars and diminutive coehorns or royals.
mortar
Bibliography
Nicholson (1835);
W. Papworth (1852);
Sturgis et al. (1901–2)