Hypertext Webster Gateway: "mortar"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Mortar
(Heb. homer), cement of lime and sand (Gen. 11:3; Ex. 1:14);
also potter's clay (Isa. 41:25; Nah. 3:14). Also Heb. 'aphar,
usually rendered "dust," clay or mud used for cement in building
(Lev. 14:42, 45).
Mortar for pulverizing (Prov. 27:22) grain or other substances
by means of a pestle instead of a mill. Mortars were used in the
wilderness for pounding the manna (Num. 11:8). It is commonly
used in Palestine at the present day to pound wheat, from which
the Arabs make a favourite dish called kibby.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Mortar \Mor"tar\, n. [OE. mortier, F. mortier, L. mortarium
mortar, a large basin or trough in which mortar is made, a
mortar (in sense 1, above). See 1st {Mortar}.] (Arch.)
A building material made by mixing lime, cement, or plaster
of Paris, with sand, water, and sometimes other materials; --
used in masonry for joining stones, bricks, etc., also for
plastering, and in other ways.
{Mortar bed}, a shallow box or receptacle in which mortar is
mixed.
{Mortar board}.
(a) A small square board with a handle beneath, for holding
mortar; a hawk.
(b) A cap with a broad, projecting, square top; -- worn by
students in some colleges. [Slang]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Mortar \Mor"tar\, n. [OE. morter, AS. mort[=e]re, L. mortarium:
cf. F. mortier mortar. Cf. sense 2 (below), also 2d {Mortar},
{Martel}, {Morter}.]
1. A strong vessel, commonly in form of an inverted bell, in
which substances are pounded or rubbed with a pestle.
2. [F. mortier, fr. L. mortarium mortar (for trituarating).]
(Mil.) A short piece of ordnance, used for throwing bombs,
carcasses, shells, etc., at high angles of elevation, as
45[deg], 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 {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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Mortar \Mor"tar\, v. t.
To plaster or make fast with mortar.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Mortar \Mor"tar\, n. [F. mortier. See {Mortar} a vessel.]
A chamber lamp or light. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
mortar
n 1: a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that
fires shells at high elevations for a short range [syn:
{howitzer}, {trench mortar}]
2: used as a bond in masonry or for covering a wall
3: a bowl-shaped vessel in which substances can be ground and
mixed with a pestle
v : plaster with mortar
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