ammo en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈæ.moʊ/ (General-American)
- /ˈæ.məʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈa.məʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey- Proto-Indo-European *móyni Proto-Italic *moini Latin moene Proto-Indo-European *-yétider. Latin -iō Latin mūniō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin mūnitiōnemlbor. Middle French munition Middle French amunitionbor. English ammunitionclip. English ammo Clipping of ammunition.
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) Ammunition.
We walked onto the racecourse like a pair of Wyatt Earps, cashed up and plenty of ammo and we walked off like a pair of Elmer Fudds, out of `buwwets'.
1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 110:'Hey, Limey,' called The Robber patiently. 'Come on out or I start using pineapples. I been expectin' you an' I got plenty ammo.'
1954, Ian Fleming, “Midnight Among The Worms”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 161:As with handguns and rifles, some ammos are more accurate than others.
2011, Mark Brannon, Tom Hanrahan, Shooting Sporting Clays, page 39:Under fire when this magazine is emptied you shout for “ammo” but perhaps No. 2, the ammo carrier, is lying in the rear with a bullet through his napper. Then it's “napoo-fini” (Tommy's French) for Mr. Lewis.
1917, Arthur Guy Empey, “Lewis Gun”, in Over the Top, G. P. Putnam's, page 297:
- (slang, uncommon, uncountable, usually) Chips or money, usually at a casino.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ammos | Number=Plur | lexicographic |