society > armed hostility > military equipment > operation and use of weapons > action of propelling missile > discharge of firearms > management of artillery > operate artillery [verb (intransitive)] > discharge artillery > of specific type (3)
intransitive. To fire off bombards or heavy guns. Obsolete (except as absolute use of 2).
transitive. To fire a pom-pom gun at. Also intransitive.
To fire shells. Cf. cough, n. 2b.