eprouvette
Feb. 26th, 2026 07:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordeprouvette (ay-proo-VET) - n., a fixed-elevation mortar formerly used to test the strength of gunpowder.
Used from the 17th to mid-19th century -- put in a standard shot and standard charge, and see how far the standard mortar flings it. Also done with small-arms powder with a standard pistol, but the mortar is better known form. From French éprouvette, from éprouver, to test, from Old French esprover, reconstructed Vulgar Latin form *exprobare, from Latin ex- + probare, to try/prove.
---L.
Used from the 17th to mid-19th century -- put in a standard shot and standard charge, and see how far the standard mortar flings it. Also done with small-arms powder with a standard pistol, but the mortar is better known form. From French éprouvette, from éprouver, to test, from Old French esprover, reconstructed Vulgar Latin form *exprobare, from Latin ex- + probare, to try/prove.
---L.
