shrapnel

[See compound.] shrapnel-shell, s. Ordn.: A hollow projectile or shell, so called after its inventor, General Shrapnel. As originally constructed, the projectile consisted of a spherical iron shell filled with balls, sufficient powder being mingled with the balls to burst the shell when the fuse ignited the charge. It was hence called spherical case-shot, and was designed to attain a longer range than common case-shot or grape. The burst ing charge was of just sufficient strength to open the shell without scattering the balls, which continued their flight. The improved shrapnel has its bursting charge in a cylinder in the middle of the elongated projectile used with rifled guns. Shrapnel are commonly filled with leaden musket-balls; melted sulphur or bituminous matter is poured in to fill up the interstices, and a chamber sufficiently large to contain the bursting charge is formed at the base of the shell. shread-head, subst. [Eng. * shread, and head.] [JERKINHEAD.] shrěd, *shrede, *shread, subst. [A. S. screáde; cogn. with Icel. skrjódhr =ashred; O. Dut.schroode; Ger. schrot.] 1. A piece torn off; a strip; a fragment torn or cut off. "In a piebald livery of coarse patches and borrowed shreds."-Locke: On Human Underst., bk. iv., ch, xx. 2. A fragment; a piece generally. "The tutors content themselves with teaching a few unconnected shreds and parcels of this corrupted course." -Smith: Wealth of Nations , bk. i., ch. i. Used spec if. of strips of cloth employed to nail up trees. 3. A particle; an iota. 3674 snréa-ding, pr. par. & s. [SHRED, U.] A. As pr. par.: (See the verb.) B. As substantive. I. Ordinary Language: 1. The act of cutting into shreds; the act of pruning or trimming. 2. That which is cut off; a fragment, a shred. "A number of short cuts or shreddings , which may be better called wishes than prayers." - Hooker: Eccles. Politie , bk. v., § 27. II. Carp . ( pl . ) : Short, light pieces of timber, fixed as bearers below the roof, forming a straight line with the upper side of the rafters. shrěd-dỹ, a. [Eng. shred; -y.] Consisting of shreds or fragments. shrěd-le , a. [Eng. shred; le . Having no shreds. (Byron: Childe Harold, iii. 47.)