| bombard | 1. A piece of heavy ordnance formerly used for throwing stones and other ponderous missiles. It was the earliest kind of cannon. "They planted in divers places twelve great bombards, wherewith they threw huge stones into the air, which, falling down into the city, might break down the houses." (Knolles) 2. A bombardment. 3. A large drinking vessel or can, or a leather bottle, for carrying liquor or beer. "Yond same black cloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor." (Shak) 4. Padded breeches. Bombard phrase, inflated language; bombast. Origin: F. Bombarde, LL. Bombarda, fr. L. Bombus + -ard. Cf. Bumper, and see Bomb. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| bombardier | One who used or managed a bombard; an artilleryman; a gunner. A noncommissioned officer in the British artillery. <zoology> Bombardier beetle, a kind of beetle (Brachinus crepitans), so called because, when disturbed, it makes an explosive discharge of a pungent and acrid vapor from its anal glands. The name is applied to other related species, as the B. Displosor, which can produce ten or twelve explosions successively. The common American species is B. Fumans. Origin: F. Bombardier. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |