ordnance
UK /ˈɔːdnəns/ · US /ˈoɹdnəns/ noun
Forms ordnances ordinance ordenance
- noun (collective) Military equipment, especially weapons and ammunition.
- noun Artillery.
Synonyms
Etymology
A reduced form of ordinance, which is attested from the late 14th century in the sense of “military equipment or provisions”. The sense of “artillery” arises in the early 15th century, the sense “military logistics” in the late 15th century. The shortened form ordnance arises by the 17th century, now often distinguished in writing from the other meanings of ordinance. Also doublet of ordonnance.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Heavy weapons of warfare; cannon, or great guns, mortars, and howitzers; artillery; sometimes, a general term for all weapons and appliances used in war. All the battlements their ordnance fire. Shak.
Etymology [From OE. ordenance, referring orig. to the bore or size of the cannon. See Ordinance.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ordnance”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details