Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A cluster of small iron balls or other small projectiles, often contained in a canvas bag, that scatter when fired from a cannon, formerly used as an antipersonnel round.
- noun Such balls or projectiles considered as a group.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A projectile discharged from a cannon, having much of the destructive spread of case-shot with somewhat of the range and penetrative force of solid shot.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Mil.) A cluster, usually nine in number, of small iron balls, put together by means of cast-iron circular plates at top and bottom, with two rings, and a central connecting rod, in order to be used as a charge for a cannon. Formerly grapeshot were inclosed in canvas bags.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A cluster, usually nine in number, of small iron balls, put together by means of cast-iron circular plates at top and bottom, with two rings, and a central connecting rod, in order to be used as a charge for a cannon. Formerly grapeshot were inclosed in canvas bags.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a cluster of small projectiles fired together from a cannon to produce a hail of shot
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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There were three varieties of this: for long-range work (up to 600 yards) a smaller number of larger balls were contained in the tin (sometimes referred to as grapeshot); for closer ranges, more numerous but smaller projectiles were packed into the container (sometimes termed langridge); and a third type, called “bar shot,” consisted of a solid iron bar running down the center of the tin with musket balls packed around it.
THE CAMPAIGNS OF NAPOLEON DAVID G. CHANDLER 1966
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There were three varieties of this: for long-range work (up to 600 yards) a smaller number of larger balls were contained in the tin (sometimes referred to as grapeshot); for closer ranges, more numerous but smaller projectiles were packed into the container (sometimes termed langridge); and a third type, called “bar shot,” consisted of a solid iron bar running down the center of the tin with musket balls packed around it.
THE CAMPAIGNS OF NAPOLEON DAVID G. CHANDLER 1966
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Marchons! "and at every word grapeshot fell to the ground, for the Colonel, in spite of the suggestions of war, was peacefully engaged, being seated on the top of a pair of steps thinning out the grapes which hung from the roof.
Sappers and Miners The Flood beneath the Sea George Manville Fenn 1870
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"Armies still use what we could call grapeshot in tank rounds, which fire what is effectively ball bearings.
unknown title 2008
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Yesterday I could not remember the correct word so used grapeshot.
The James Rifle 2009
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Yesterday I could not remember the correct word so used grapeshot.
The James Rifle 2009
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It would be clean and it would have no magic bullet, only a magic spray of grapeshot (Al Gore called it buckshot) spread across all regions.
Dar Williams: Blow Your Own Green Bubble Dar Williams 2010
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In short, he got Borked at Leipzig. grapeshot says:
Matthew Yglesias » Kristol Complicates Napoleon Metaphors 2010
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It would be clean and it would have no magic bullet, only a magic spray of grapeshot (Al Gore called it buckshot) spread across all regions.
Dar Williams: Blow Your Own Green Bubble Dar Williams 2010
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Laurence Underhill/eyevine/Zuma Press Protesters threw rocks at lines of police who respond with tear gas and grapeshot on Mansour Street, next to the Interior Ministry building.
chained_bear commented on the word grapeshot
a.k.a. grape. See also canister.
March 20, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word grapeshot
Also, just for fun, see grape riffles.
January 26, 2011