grape shot
Preserved but no longer current.
A form of projectile at one time much used with smooth-bore guns. It con- sisted of a large number of cast-iron bullets packed in layers between thin iron plates and then arranged m tiers (usually three), the whole being held together by an iron bolt passing through the centre of the plates. When fired the shot broke up and distributed the bullets in showers.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “grape shot” mean?
A form of projectile at one time much used with smooth-bore guns. It con- sisted of a large number of cast-iron bullets packed in layers between thin iron plates and then arranged m tiers (usually three), the whole being held together by an iron bolt passing through the centre of the plates. When fired the shot broke up and distributed the bullets in showers.
Is “grape shot” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.