case shot: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowHistorical / Technical / Military
Quick answer
What does “case shot” mean?
A type of anti-personnel artillery ammunition used from the 16th to 19th centuries, consisting of a metal canister filled with small iron balls or scrap metal that scatters upon firing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of anti-personnel artillery ammunition used from the 16th to 19th centuries, consisting of a metal canister filled with small iron balls or scrap metal that scatters upon firing.
A historical term for canister shot; in modern contexts, it may be used metaphorically to describe something that scatters or spreads widely and destructively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is equally historical in both varieties.
Connotations
Connotes historical warfare, black powder artillery, and Napoleonic or American Civil War eras.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary use in both regions, limited to specialist historical discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “case shot” in a Sentence
The artillery fired case shot.The canister was filled with case shot.Case shot was used against infantry.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “case shot” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The gun crew prepared to case-shot the advancing line.
American English
- The artillery was ordered to case-shot the enemy position.
adjective
British English
- The case-shot round was particularly brutal at close range.
American English
- They suffered heavy casualties from the case-shot volley.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical or military history papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in historical artillery descriptions, museum catalogs, and reenactment manuals.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “case shot”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “case shot”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “case shot”
- Confusing it with 'grapeshot' (which uses larger balls arranged around a central column).
- Using it in a modern military context.
- Spelling as 'case-shot' (hyphen is sometimes used but less common).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are similar but distinct. Case shot (canister shot) is a tin can filled with small balls. Grapeshot typically consists of larger balls arranged around a central column. Both are anti-personnel rounds.
Primarily from the 16th century through the 19th century, seeing extensive use in wars like the Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War.
No, it is a historical term. Modern equivalents are generally referred to as 'canister' rounds or specific types of anti-personnel/fragmentation munitions.
It refers to the thin metal case or canister (originally of tin, later iron) that held the projectiles. The case disintegrated upon firing, releasing the shot.
A type of anti-personnel artillery ammunition used from the 16th to 19th centuries, consisting of a metal canister filled with small iron balls or scrap metal that scatters upon firing.
Case shot is usually historical / technical / military in register.
Case shot: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkeɪs ʃɒt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkeɪs ʃɑːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a metal CASE that SHOTs out its contents like a shotgun.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER OF DESTRUCTION that DISPERSES its contents chaotically.
Practice
Quiz
What is 'case shot' most closely associated with?