Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A particular kind of projectile formerly used at sea for tearing sails and rigging, and thus disabling an enemy's ship. It consisted of bolts, nails, and other pieces of iron fastened together.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun langrage

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Then the canister, which produced ghastly murder, chain-shot to bring down masts and spars, langrel to fire at masts and rigging, and the dismantling shot to tear off sails, were all made ready.

    No Defense, Complete Gilbert Parker 1897

  • The canister, chain-shot, and langrel of the French foe had caused much injury to the Ariadne, and her canvas was in a sore plight.

    No Defense, Complete Gilbert Parker 1897

  • Then the canister, which produced ghastly murder, chain-shot to bring down masts and spars, langrel to fire at masts and rigging, and the dismantling shot to tear off sails, were all made ready.

    No Defense, Volume 2. Gilbert Parker 1897

  • The canister, chain-shot, and langrel of the French foe had caused much injury to the Ariadne, and her canvas was in a sore plight.

    No Defense, Volume 2. Gilbert Parker 1897

  • The canister, chain-shot, and langrel of the French foe had caused much injury to the Ariadne, and her canvas was in a sore plight.

    The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

  • Then the canister, which produced ghastly murder, chain-shot to bring down masts and spars, langrel to fire at masts and rigging, and the dismantling shot to tear off sails, were all made ready.

    The Project Gutenberg Complete Works of Gilbert Parker Gilbert Parker 1897

Comments

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  • "Langrel, a particular kind of shot, formed of bolts, nails, bars, or other pieces of iron tied together, and forming a sort of cylinder, which corresponds with the bore of the cannon, from which it is discharged, in order to wound or carry away the masts, or tear the sails and rigging of the adversary, so as to disable him from flight or pursuit. It is seldom used but by privateers and merchantmen."

    Falconer's New Universal Dictionary of the Marine (1816), 214

    October 12, 2008

  • ~ A kind of shot formerly used at sea for tearing sails and rigging. It consisted of bolts, nails, and other pieces of iron fastened together or inclosed in a canister.

    January 18, 2009

  • Also see langrage.

    March 25, 2011

  • In politics his preferred angle
    Is not to skewer but to mangle
    By spewing barrages
    Of spurious charges
    With loads of rhetorical langrel.

    September 7, 2015