Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Any of a family of smokeless explosive powders consisting chiefly of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, and petrolatum that have been dissolved in acetone, dried, and extruded in cords
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A smokeless powder, introduced in 1889, and adopted in the British military and naval service for small arms and guns of all calibers.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Mil.) A smokeless powder composed of nitroglycerin, guncotton, and mineral jelly, and used by the British army and in other services. In making it the ingredients are mixed into a paste with the addition of acetone and pressed out into cords (of various diameters) resembling brown twine, which are dried and cut to length. A variety containing less nitroglycerin than the original is known as
cordite M. D.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
smokeless propellent made by combining two high explosives,nitrocellulose andnitroglycerine , used in some firearmammunition .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun explosive powder (nitroglycerin and guncotton and petrolatum) dissolved in acetone and dried and extruded in brown cords
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The smoke and smell of cordite is absolutely overwhelming.
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Nitro-glycerine is also largely used in the manufacture of smokeless powders, such as cordite, ballistite, and several others.
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The former smokeless powder, containing a large percentage of nitro-glycerine such as "cordite," produced such an effect that the guns were used up and practically worthless, after firing fifty to sixty rounds.
Marvels of Modern Science Paul Severing
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(of vulcanite), fixed at the bottom of the tanks, into rubber buckets, and is ready for use in the preparation of dynamite, or any of the various forms of gelatine compounds, smokeless powders, &c., such as cordite, ballistite, and many others.
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The hall reeked of cordite and the coppered scent of blood.
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"It was important to him not to be the second or the third source, but to smell the cordite and to understand the issues," Robinson said in an interview.
Obituary: Ben Bonk, 56, CIA official helped stem Libya's development of destructive weapons 2011
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"In gullies choked with dust and infused with the scent of thyme and cordite, the agonies of the wounded haunted the survivors," Mr. Davis writes of the war.
Ascent to Immortality Michael J. Ybarra 2011
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The stink of cordite and scorched blood curled into the air.
Etched in Bone Adrian Phoenix 2011
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When the other two return, assuming Ferdinand does, Terry's resurrection will be a fait accompli which they either accept or store up as autobiographical cordite for when Don Fabio stands down.
Fabio Capello risks all by giving John Terry his bark back | Paul Hayward 2011
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It was important to him not to be the second or the third source, but to smell the cordite and to understand the issues.
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