shot tower

American  

noun

1. a tower from the top of which finely divided streams of molten lead are dropped down a central well, breaking up into spherical drops during their fall to be quenched and hardened in a tank of water at the bottom.

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shot tower British  

noun

1. a building formerly used in the production of shot, in which molten lead was graded and dropped from a great height into water, thus cooling it and forming the shot

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Etymology

Origin of shot tower

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shot tower

The high building, George's patent shot tower, G. Delamotte, del.

From The King's Post Being a volume of historical facts relating to the posts, mail coaches, coach roads, and railway mail services of and connected with the ancient city of Bristol from 1580 to the present time by Robert Charles Tombs

At the time he was engaged at the shot tower business.

From Speeches, Addresses, and Occasional Sermons, Volume 3 (of 3) by Theodore Parker

The naked cliff, rising sheer above the rapid current, was, early in this century, utilized as a shot tower.

From Historic Waterways?Six Hundred Miles of Canoeing Down the Rock, Fox, and Wisconsin Rivers by Reuben Gold Thwaites

The O’Rapley informed him that it was a shot tower where they made shot.

From The Humourous Story of Farmer Bumpkin's Lawsuit by Richard Harris

The shot tower at First and Howard streets was gone.

From Complete Story of the San Francisco Horror by Richard Linthicum