Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AR-TIL'LE-RY, n. [This word has no plural. Fr. artillerie; It. artiglieria; Sp. artilleria. In Fr. artilleur, artillier, is a matross; Sp. artillar, to mount cannon. In Armoric, artillery is artilhiry, and an artist is artilher. In Norm. Fr. artillery is written articlarie. The Armoric unites this word with art, artist, indicating that the primary sense is, instruments, things formed by art, or rather prepared by art, preparations.]

1. In a general sense, offensive weapons of war. Hence it was formerly used for bows and arrows. And Jonathan gave his artillery to his lad. 1 Sam. xx. But in present usage, appropriately,
2. Cannon; great guns; ordnance, including guns, mortars and grenades, with their furniture of carriages, balls, bombs, and shot of all kinds.
3. In a more extended sense, the word includes powder, cartridges, matches, utensils, machines of all kinds, and horses that belong to a train of artillery.
4. The men who manage cannon and mortars, including matrosses, gunners, bombardiers, cannoniers, or by whatever name they are called, with the officers, engineers and persons who supply the artillery with implements and materials. – Encyc.