artillerist

[Eng. art iller (y); -ist.] An artilleryman; one practically acquainted with artillery or gunnery. "The artillery is all English, as the Government has never seen fit, since the mutiny of of 1857, to tr.. n native art iller is sto use the guns."- American Acco..at of India (by Gen. Forsyth), Times , April 28, 1876, ar-til-ler-ý, ar-til-ler-ie, * ar-tyler-ý, ar-til-yer-y, *ar-til-rie, * artěl'-rie ( Eng . ), * ar-tā'il-ře ( Scotch ), s. [In Ger. & Fr. artillerie; O. Fr. artillerie, arteillerie , from art iller = to render strong by art, to work with artifice, to fortify, to arm; Prov. artilharia , artilheria; Sp. art iller i a ; Port, artilharia; Ital. artiglieria ; Low Lat. art ill are = to make machines; artillaria , artil leria = warlike engines, vans laden with military arms; Cla . Lat. ars = art.] A. Ordinary Language: I. Implements of war. 1. Literally: (1) Gen. Warlike implements of whatever kind. "And al his vthir artilyery also He dowblith hath, that merwell was to sen." Lance lot of the Lake (ed. Skeat), bk. iii. 2,138-9. Formerly it might be used in the plural; now only the singular is employed. "Swiche as han castelles and other manere edifices, and armure, and artilries ."- Chaucer: Tale of Melibeus. (2) Specially : *(a) Bows and arrows. "And Jonathan gave his artillery [bows and arrows] unto his lad,."-1 Sam. xx. 40. (b) Cannons or other great guns, and also all appliances needful to keep them in a state of efficiency for use in time of war. IMG:content-0776.png:[blocks in formation] (2.) The "electric fluid" in the clouds when flashing forth lightning accompanied by the roar of thunder. "And heaven's artillery thunder in the skies." Shakesp. Taming of the Shrew, 1. 2. II. The science and art of gunnery. "In artillery practice the heat generated is usually concentrated upon the front of the bolt, and on the portion of the target first struck." -Tyndall: Frag. of Science, 3rd ed., i. 17. Here the word is used almost adjectively. III. The men constituting the military corps in charge of the cannons, and who are trained to fire them in war. "But there was no regiment of artillery, no brigade of sappers and miners,..."-Macaulay: List. Eng., ch. til. B. Technically : Mil .: For the several uses of the word artillery, see A., I., II., & III. James, in his Military Dict., considered the artillery in the sense A., III. as consisting of (1) the Royal Regiment of Artillery, (2) the Royal Horse Artillery, (3) the Royal Artillery Drivers, and (4) the Commi ary's Department. It is now often divided into (1) Horse Artillery, (2) Field Artillery, and (3) Garrison Artillery. In the United States, the principal artillery school is at Fortre Monroe, Virginia, whero five batteries (one from each artillery regiment of the army) are in constant training. Field Artillery: Artillery designed to be taken with an army to the field of battle. Park of Artillery [PARK]: Artillery, with the carriages, horses, and stores of all kinds nece ary for its effective use. Siege Artillery: Artillery of heavy metal, designed to be employed in breaching fortifications. Train of Artillery: A certain number of pieces of cannon mounted on carriages, with all their furniture fit for marching. 320