Webster's English Dictionary

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mortar

1. mor.tar \'mo.rt-*r\ n [ME morter, fr. OE mortere & MF mortier, fr. L 
   mortarium [MF mortier]X; akin to Gk marainein to waste away - more at SMART 
   1a: a strong vessel in which substances are pounded or rubbed with a pestle 
    1b: a large cast-iron receptacle in which ore is crushed in a stamp mill  
   2a: a muzzle-loading cannon having a tube short in relation to its caliber  
   that is used to throw projectiles with low muzzle velocities at high angles 
   2b: any of several similar firing devices 
2. mortar n : a plastic building material (as a mixture of cement, lime, or 
   gypsum pla ster with sand and water) that hardens and is used in masonry or 
   plastering
3. mortar vt : to plaster or make fast with mortar