ordnance

plural ordnances · alternative ordinance · alternative ordenance

1. collectivecountableuncountableMilitary equipment, especially weapons and ammunition.

   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.

   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

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   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.

   2026 April 12, Tyler Pager, David E. Sanger, “What Now? Vance Leaves Iran Talks Without a Deal.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

2. countableuncountableArtillery.

   Let all the Battlements their Ordinance fire, / The King shal drinke to Hamlets better breath,

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

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   From the belfries far and near the funereal deathbell tolled unceasingly while all around the gloomy precincts rolled the ominous warning of a hundred muffled drums punctuated by the hollow booming of pieces of ordnance.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], pages 293–294