chain shot


noun
  1. cannon shot consisting of two balls or half balls connected by a short chain, formerly used in naval artillery to destroy the masts and sails of enemy ships.

Origin of chain shot

1
First recorded in 1575–85

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use chain shot in a sentence

  • As the chain shot out, Dot slipped on the wet logs, and fell into the water.

  • Round-shot and chain-shot and langridge came showering thickly down upon them.

    True Blue | W.H.G. Kingston
  • The dogs flew like chain-shot through the air, and, with a tremendous splash disappeared from view in the river.

    Mount Music | E. Oe. Somerville and Martin Ross
  • Close by was a chain-shot, two nine-pound solid shot connected by a foot of heavy links.

  • Did they ever fire chain-shot, which would cut down trees and sweep away companies of men?

British Dictionary definitions for chain shot

chain shot

noun
  1. cannon shot comprising two balls or half balls joined by a chain, much used formerly, esp in naval warfare to destroy rigging

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012