shrapnel
See also: Shrapnel
English edit
Etymology edit
From Shrapnel. Named after British army officer Henry Shrapnel (1761–1842) who invented an anti-personnel shell that transported a large number of bullets to the target before releasing them, at a far greater distance than rifles could fire the bullets individually. The surname is likely a metathesized form of Charbonnel, a diminutive of Old French charbon (“charcoal”) in reference to hair color, complexion, or the like.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
shrapnel (usually uncountable, plural shrapnels)
- (military, historical) An anti-personnel artillery shell used in World War I which carries a large number of individual bullets close to the target and then ejects them to allow them to continue along the shell's trajectory and strike the target individually.
- (military, historical) The bullets from the aforementioned type of artillery shell.
- (military) Shot, fragments, or debris thrown out by an exploding shell, bomb or landmine.
- (slang) Loose change.
- 2004, “Fit But You Know It”, in Mike Skinner (lyrics), A Grand Don’t Come For Free, performed by The Streets:
- I was waiting in the queue, looking at the board / Wondering whether to have a burger or chips / Or what the shrapnel in my back pocket could afford
- Debris.
- The dog ate my sandwich, and there was shrapnel all over the place from him tearing open the bag.
Translations edit
artillery shell
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fragments and debris thrown out by an exploding device
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loose change — see loose change
Further reading edit
Anagrams edit
French edit
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
shrapnel m (plural shrapnels)
Further reading edit
- “shrapnel”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.