[SMOKE sb. 1.]
1. Mil. A paper shell filled with a preparation that, when ignited, sends out clouds of smoke.
The ball is fired from a mortar, and the smoke serves to drive men out of mines, conceal manœuvres, etc.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Ball, Smoak … Balls, those which … darken a place, to prevent discoveries.
1760. Ann. Reg., Chron., 146/1. A smoke-ball burst in General Desagulier’s hand, and shattered his arm.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., s.v. Ball, Smoke-balls are thrown out of mortars, and continue to smoke from 25 to 30 minutes.
1828. J. M. Spearman, Brit. Gunner (ed. 2), 52. Balls … are of three descriptions, viz.—lead, light, and smoke-balls.
1859. F. A. Griffiths, Artill. Man. (1862), 86. The 8 in. Smoke ball burns about 4 minutes.
fig. 1796. Gentl. Mag., LXVI. II. 1011. When Christianity is assaulted … by the smoke-balls and stink-pots of English vagabonds.
attrib. 1809. Naval Chron., XXII. 286. Every rocket contains smoak-ball composition.
2. A ball used in trap-shooting that, when struck by a shot, emits a puff of smoke.
1881. Greener, Gun, 504. The latest improvement is the American smoke-ball, consisting of two hemispheres of paper placed upon a wooden ball.
3. A ball emitting smoke when ignited, used by thieves.
1899. Daily News, 21 March, 7/2. Raising an alarm of fire by means of smoke balls ignited on the various floors. The smoke balls went beyond their commission and kindled a flame.
