field gun
LowTechnical, Military, Historical
Definition
Meaning
A mobile artillery piece, mounted on wheels or a carriage, designed to be moved on the battlefield and to fire projectiles at high trajectories over relatively short distances.
In a broad military context, any artillery piece that is not permanently fixed or part of a ship's/fort's armament, but is instead designed for maneuverability with land forces.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically refers to lighter, more mobile artillery pieces used in direct support of infantry, as opposed to heavy siege guns or howitzers. The term is strongly associated with late 19th and early to mid-20th century warfare.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both varieties; the term is standard military jargon. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Evokes historical or traditional military imagery, particularly World War I and II. In modern professional contexts, more specific terms like 'howitzer' or 'towed artillery' are often used.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both BrE and AmE, appearing mainly in historical/military texts, documentaries, and war gaming.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [military unit] deployed a field gun.They used a field gun to [verb (e.g., shell, bombard)] the [target].The [adjective, e.g., obsolete] field gun was captured.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Run with the field gun (specific to a British military display/tradition).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, military history, and war studies papers to describe specific artillery types.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used in discussions about history, museums, or documentaries.
Technical
Standard term in military history, artillery manuals, and war gaming for a specific class of weapon.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The section will field-gun the position at dawn. (rare/technical)
American English
- The battalion field-gunned the enemy advance. (rare/technical)
adjective
British English
- The field-gun competition is a Royal Navy tradition. (as a compound modifier)
American English
- They studied field-gun tactics from the Civil War. (as a compound modifier)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old field gun is in the museum.
- Soldiers pushed the field gun.
- The army used a field gun in the battle.
- They moved the heavy field gun with horses.
- The rapid deployment of the field gun allowed the infantry to advance under covering fire.
- Archaeologists uncovered the rusted barrel of a 19th-century field gun.
- The design of the French 75mm field gun revolutionised artillery with its revolutionary hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism.
- Deploying the field gun from its limber under enemy fire required immense discipline from the gun crew.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a GUN in a FIELD of battle, on wheels, being moved by soldiers or horses.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEAPON AS A TOOL (for shaping the battlefield); ARTILLERY AS A MOBILE FIRE SOURCE.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as "полевое оружие" (field weapon) – this is too broad. The correct equivalent is "полевое орудие". "Пушка" is a general term for cannon/gun, while "орудие" specifically denotes artillery.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'field gun' to refer to any large gun (e.g., a tank's main gun or a stationary coastal defense gun). Confusing it with 'howitzer' (which fires at higher angles) or 'mortar'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of a 'field gun'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Traditionally, field guns fire at lower trajectories (flatter shots) for direct fire, while howitzers fire at higher angles for indirect fire over obstacles. The lines have blurred in modern artillery.
Their heyday was from the Napoleonic Wars through World War II, especially before the widespread use of self-propelled artillery (guns mounted on vehicles).
Extremely rarely and only in very specific military jargon, meaning 'to engage with a field gun'. It is not standard usage.
A famous and physically demanding competition originating with the British Royal Navy, involving teams racing to assemble and manoeuvre a disassembled field gun and its carriage over obstacles.