mortar
n. · v.-
1 building material (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea mixture of sand, water, and cement used to stick bricks or stones together.
a workable paste used to bind building blocks such as stones, bricks, and concrete masonry units together.
ExampleThe builder applied a fresh layer of mortar between the red bricks.
ExampleThe restoration team had to source a specific lime-based mortar to match the original eighteenth-century masonry of the cathedral walls.
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2 grinding bowl (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Cookinga hard bowl used with a heavy tool called a pestle to crush spices or medicine into powder.
a sturdy vessel in which substances are crushed or ground with a pestle.
ExampleShe used a stone mortar to grind the garlic and herbs into a paste.
ExampleThe pharmacist used a ceramic mortar and pestle to pulverise the tablets into a fine powder for the compound.
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3 weapon (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Militarya short, portable gun that fires explosive shells high into the air so they fall down on a target.
a muzzle-loading indirect fire weapon that transmits recoil to a base plate and fires shells at high angles.
ExampleThe soldiers set up the mortar behind the hill to hide from the enemy.
ExampleThe infantry unit deployed a lightweight mortar to provide immediate indirect fire support during the mountain operation.
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4 to attack with shells (v.) C2 Proficiency Technical Militaryto attack a place using mortar weapons.
to bombard a target with mortar shells. Transitive when used with a direct object.
ExampleThe enemy started to mortar the city at midnight.
ExampleThe retreating forces continued to mortar the bridgehead in an attempt to delay the advancing columns.
From Middle English morter, from Old French mortier, from Latin mortārium. Doublet of mortarium.