ammunition

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   information that can be used to attack or defend a claim or argument or viewpoint

   The admission provided ammunition for our critics.

2. 2
   noun

   Articles used in charging firearms and ordnance of all kinds; as powder, balls, shot, shells, percussion caps, rockets, etc.

   Hiro risks turning on a small flashlight, uses it to rummage around the yatcht, picking up valuable stuff: a few bottles of (presumably) drinkable water, some food, extra ammunition for his nine.

3. 3
   noun

   Military stores, or provisions of all kinds for attack or defense.

   Ammunition bread.

4. 4
   noun

   Arguments and information that can be used against the other party in a conflict.

   They say that the booklet gives them ammunition which is proving effective in breaking down resistance against home building which was created by false propaganda.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Ammunition comes from obsolete French amunition, created by misdividing la munition, “the munition,” so that part of the article became attached to the noun. In its earliest English use, ammunition referred broadly to stores of all kinds.

From older French amunition, rebracketing of la munition (“the war supplies”) as l'amunition. Ultimately from Latin; see munition for more.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary