trench mortar: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low in general usage, moderate in historical or military contexts.Technical, historical, military
Quick answer
What does “trench mortar” mean?
A portable, lightweight mortar used primarily in trench warfare, especially during World War I, for firing projectiles at short ranges.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A portable, lightweight mortar used primarily in trench warfare, especially during World War I, for firing projectiles at short ranges.
Can refer to similar mortars used in later conflicts or historical contexts; sometimes used metaphorically to describe outdated technology or methods from a past era.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning; both dialects use the term identically in military and historical contexts.
Connotations
Evokes images of World War I, stalemate warfare, and early 20th-century military technology.
Frequency
Equally rare in everyday speech but may appear slightly more in British historical discussions due to WWI prominence.
Grammar
How to Use “trench mortar” in a Sentence
fire a trench mortaruse a trench mortardeploy trench mortarsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trench mortar” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The platoon trench-mortared the enemy lines at dawn.
American English
- They trench-mortared the opposing trenches during the assault.
adjective
British English
- The trench-mortar bombardment was relentless.
American English
- Trench-mortar units provided crucial support in the battle.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical studies, military history, and warfare analysis.
Everyday
Rarely used; mostly in discussions about history or war.
Technical
Common in military history, artillery manuals, and historical reenactments.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trench mortar”
- Confusing it with general mortars or artillery pieces.
- Mispronouncing 'mortar' with emphasis on the first syllable instead of the second.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A trench mortar is a portable mortar used in trench warfare, particularly during World War I, for short-range artillery fire.
No, it is largely obsolete and has been replaced by modern mortars in contemporary military use.
It was specifically designed for use in trenches, being lighter and more portable than many other mortars of its time.
Rarely; it is almost exclusively a military term, though it can be used metaphorically to describe outdated methods.
A portable, lightweight mortar used primarily in trench warfare, especially during World War I, for firing projectiles at short ranges.
Trench mortar is usually technical, historical, military in register.
Trench mortar: in British English it is pronounced /trentʃ ˈmɔːtə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /trentʃ ˈmɔːrtər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a trench in war, and a mortar that fires from it; combine 'trench' and 'mortar' to remember its use in trench warfare.
Conceptual Metaphor
A symbol of early 20th-century warfare, representing technological limitation and the brutality of trench combat.
Practice
Quiz
What historical period is the trench mortar most associated with?