Definition

Noun: 1. A type of artillery projectile or bomb: A gas shell is a military munition designed to be fired from artillery or a mortar. It contains a chemical agent (a toxic or irritant gas) instead of, or in addition to, a high-explosive charge. Its purpose is to release the chemical agent upon impact or detonation.

Usage

• The term is used specifically in a military context to describe a category of chemical weaponry, typically from historical conflicts like World War I.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Historical Reference: "The soldiers were ordered to don their gas masks when the enemy began firing into the trenches."
• Museum Description: "The exhibit includes a deactivated from 1917 to illustrate the horrors of chemical warfare."
• Report: "The artillery barrage included both high-explosive and ."

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical analysis and discussions on the ethics and laws of war, particularly regarding the prohibition of chemical weapons.
• It can appear in metaphorical language to describe something that releases a sudden, pervasive, and harmful influence, though this is a figurative extension and not the primary definition.
  • Figurative Example: "The scandalous report landed in the newsroom like a gas shell, creating panic and confusion."

Variants and Related Words

• Chemical shell: A more general, modern synonym.
• Shell (noun): The broader category of artillery projectiles.
• Mustard gas shell / Chlorine gas shell: Specific types named for the agent they contain.
• Gas warfare / Chemical warfare: The broader military doctrine of using such weapons.

Synonyms

• Chemical projectile
• Chemical munition
• Poison gas shell

Related Phrases

• To fire gas shells: The action of deploying such weapons.
  • Example: "The battalion was accused of firing gas shells at civilian areas."
• Gas shell attack: A military assault using these projectiles.
  • Example: "The gas shell attack caused hundreds of non-fatal casualties due to choking and blistering agents."

Noun

1. (military) bomb consisting of an explosive projectile filled with a toxic gas that is released when the bomb explodes