Mor·tar n.
1. A strong vessel, commonly in form of an inverted bell, in which substances are pounded or rubbed with a pestle.
2. Mil. A short piece of ordnance, used for throwing bombs, carcasses, shells, etc., at high angles of elevation, as 45°, and even higher; -- so named from its resemblance in shape to the utensil above described.
Mortar bed Mil., a framework of wood and iron, suitably hollowed out to receive the breech and trunnions of a mortar.
Mortar boat or Mortar vessel Naut., a boat strongly built and adapted to carrying a mortar or mortars for bombarding; a bomb ketch.
Mortar piece, a mortar. [Obs.] --Shak.
Bomb n.
1. A great noise; a hollow sound. [Obs.]
A pillar of iron . . . which if you had struck, would make . . . a great bomb in the chamber beneath. --Bacon.
2. Mil. A shell; esp. a spherical shell, like those fired from mortars. See Shell.
3. A bomb ketch.
Bomb chest Mil., a chest filled with bombs, or only with gunpowder, placed under ground, to cause destruction by its explosion.
Bomb ketch, Bomb vessel Naut., a small ketch or vessel, very strongly built, on which mortars are mounted to be used in naval bombardments; -- called also mortar vessel.
Bomb lance, a lance or harpoon with an explosive head, used in whale fishing.
Volcanic bomb, a mass of lava of a spherical or pear shape. “I noticed volcanic bombs.”