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ordnance

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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A reduced form of ordinance, which is attested from the late 14th century in the sense of “military equipment or provisions”. The sense of “artillery” arises in the early 15th century, the sense “military logistics” in the late 15th century. The shortened form ordnance arises by the 17th century, now often distinguished in writing from the other meanings of ordinance. Also doublet of ordonnance.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ordnance (countable and uncountable, plural ordnances)

  1. (collective) Military equipment, especially weapons and ammunition.
    • 1624, John Donne, chapter XVI, in Deuotions upon Emergent Occasions, and Seuerall Steps in My Sicknes: […], London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews] for Thomas Iones, →OCLC, page 389:
      When the Turkes tooke Conſtantinople, they melted the Bells into Ordnance; I haue heard both Bells and Ordnance, but neuer been ſo much affected with thoſe, as with theſe Bells.
    • 2026 April 12, Tyler Pager, David E. Sanger, “What Now? Vance Leaves Iran Talks Without a Deal.”, in The New York Times‎[1], →ISSN:
      What Mr. Vance’s trip made clear is that both sides think they emerged as the victor of the first round: the United States by dropping so much ordnance on Iran, the Iranians by surviving. Neither seems in the mood for compromise.
  2. Artillery.

Usage notes

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  • Although prescriptive authorities say this word should now be pronounced with only two syllables, the original pronunciation with three syllables (like ordinance, from which this word derives) remains very common. (Shakespeare used both.[1][2])

Derived terms

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With prefixes

Translations

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References

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  1. ^ Dale F. Coye, Pronouncing Shakespeare's Words: A Guide from A to Zounds, 2014, pages 138, 208, 305
  2. ^ Shakespeare Words, ordnance, ordinance (n.)

Further reading

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