▪ I. ammunition, n.
(æmjuːˈnɪʃən)
Also 7–8 amu-.
[a. 16–17th c. Fr. a(m)munition, vulgarly amonition, an army corruption of munition (also vulgarly monition). H. Estienne (1578) says ‘le peuplier grossier prononce monition (amonition, selon autres) pour munition’; and Ménage (1672), ‘les soldats disent pain d'amonition; mais les officiers disent pain de munition’ — Thurot Pron. Fran{cced}. 1881, p. 275. Apparently caused by taking la munition as l'amonition through confusion of the novel munition with the familiar a(d)monition a ‘warning’ legal or ecclesiastical. Cf. noix d'Acajou for noix de Cajou. Subseq. rejected in Fr. (exc. as a vulgarism), but retained in Eng. with amm-, assimilated to words from L. in imm-, comm-, ann-, etc. L. adm- does not become amm- in Fr. or Eng.]
1. Military stores or supplies; formerly, of all kinds (as still attrib.: see 3); now, articles used in charging guns and ordnance, as powder, shot, shell; and by extension, offensive missiles generally.
| a 1626 Bacon Adv. Villiers (J.) Convenient arms and a[m]munition for their defence. 1642 Declar. Lords & Comm. 7 Jan. 6 Horses, Armes, and Amunition. 1671 Milton Samson 1277 He all their ammunition And feats of war defeats. 1692 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) II. 413 A French prize of 180 tunns, laden with ammunitions. 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 54 The Amunition used in Battering the City. 1710 Lond. Gaz. mmmmdccvi/2, 25000 Fire-locks, with a suitable Proportion of Ammunition. 1769 Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesb. I. 177 The ammunition of these rioters consisted chiefly of dirt, but many stones were seen to be thrown. 1870 Knight Crown Hist. Eng. xl. 519 At seven in the evening their ammunition was nearly exhausted. |
2. fig.
| 1645 Bp. Hall Content. 103 This spirituall Ammunition shall sufficiently furnish the soul for her encounter with her last enemy. 1833 Marryat Pet. Simp. (1863) 70, I had finished my meal, which did not take long, for want of ammunition. |
3. attrib. as ammunition-boots, ammunition-bread, ammunition-hat, ammunition-loaf, ammunition-shoes, etc., those supplied to soldiers as equipment or rations; ammunition-face, a warlike one; ammunition-house, one used for the storage of ammunition; ammunition-wag(g)on, one used to convey the ammunition for a force.
| a 1658 Cleveland Clev. Vind. (1677) 96 So much for his Warlike or Ammunition Face. 1663 Butler Hud. i. i. 314 Lin'd with many a piece Of ammunition bread and cheese. 1691 in Hist. MSS. Commission 14th Rep., App. iii (1894) 123 We had all our ammunition in the greatest hazard of blowing up upon Saturday night last by the treacherous fireing of two bombs..in the very center of our ammunition waggons. 1692 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) II. 471 An ammunition loafe of bread was sold for 18 soals. 1693 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 1320 A ammunition whore, scortum castrense. 1697 Lond. Gaz. mmmccxcvi/4 Deserted..Thomas Stone..took away with him his Ammunition Hat. 1703 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) V. 356 Whose ammunition house at Turin is blown up by some incendiaries. 1720 Defoe Mem. Cavalier ii. 192 We took five Ammunition Waggons, full of powder. 1844 Regul. & Ord. Army 152 The Men are entitled to their Ammunition Boots or Shoes, with the rest of their Clothing. 1858 Froude Hist. Eng. IV. 275 Ammunition waggons were prepared and loaded. |
▪ II. ammunition, v.
(æmjuːˈnɪʃən)
[f. n.: cf. Fr. amunitionner.]
To supply with ammunition.
| 1644 Prynne & Walker Fiennes's Trial 19 Why did he fortifie and ammunition the City? |