Mor·tar n.
 1. A strong vessel, commonly in form of an inverted bell, in which substances are pounded or rubbed with a pestle.
 2.  Mil. A short piece of ordnance, used for throwing bombs, carcasses, shells, etc., at high angles of elevation, as 45°, and even higher; -- so named from its resemblance in shape to the utensil above described.
 Mortar bed Mil., a framework of wood and iron, suitably hollowed out to receive the breech and trunnions of a mortar.
 Mortar boat or Mortar vessel Naut., a boat strongly built and adapted to carrying a mortar or mortars for bombarding; a bomb ketch.
 Mortar piece, a mortar. [Obs.] --Shak.


 Bomb n.
 1. A great noise; a hollow sound. [Obs.]
    A pillar of iron . . . which if you had struck, would make . . . a great bomb in the chamber beneath.   --Bacon.
 2. Mil. A shell; esp. a spherical shell, like those fired from mortars. See Shell.
 3. A bomb ketch.
 Bomb chest Mil., a chest filled with bombs, or only with gunpowder, placed under ground, to cause destruction by its explosion.
 Bomb ketch, Bomb vessel Naut., a small ketch or vessel, very strongly built, on which mortars are mounted to be used in naval bombardments; -- called also mortar vessel.
 Bomb lance, a lance or harpoon with an explosive head, used in whale fishing.
 Volcanic bomb, a mass of lava of a spherical or pear shape. “I noticed volcanic bombs.”