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Definition of artillery noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

artillery

noun
 
/ɑːˈtɪləri/
 
/ɑːrˈtɪləri/
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  1. [uncountable] large, heavy guns which are often moved on wheels
    • The town is under heavy artillery fire.
    • artillery attacks/barrages/shells
    Extra Examples
    • nuclear artillery units
    • A stray artillery shell struck the hospital.
    • The army launched a heavy artillery barrage against enemy positions.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • field
    • heavy
    • anti-aircraft
    • …
    artillery + noun
    • attack
    • barrage
    • bombardment
    • …
    See full entry
  2. the artillery
     [singular] the section of an army trained to use these guns
    • He was a captain in the Royal Artillery.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • field
    • heavy
    • anti-aircraft
    • …
    artillery + noun
    • attack
    • barrage
    • bombardment
    • …
    See full entry
    3. Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French artillerie, from artiller, alteration of atillier ‘equip, arm’, probably a variant of atirier, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + tire ‘rank, order’.
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See artillery in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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