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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Munitio(u)n(e, Municio(u)n(e, n. Also: mun-, mwnicio(u)n, -ycioun, mwnisioun, munissioun, munitoun, munishon. [e.m.E. municion (1461), -ycion, -ition (c 1540), F. munition, L. mūnītio. Cf. also Monitio(u)n(e n.²]

1. Fortification(s), defensive work(s). a. sing. in collective sense. b. plur. in same sense.a. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 253/2.
With battelling, machcoling and all uther maner of defens and munitioun 1533 Bell. Livy I. 77/27.
The Latynis began to garnis the samyn [town] with new municioun Ib. 140/23.
Ane strang toure … quhilk be municioun and straitnes of the ground apperit vnexpugnabil 1533 Boece ii. xij. 85 b.
Cadale … garnissing the twa castellis be stark mwnicioun he devisit persew Gillus 1596 Dalr. I. 63/8.
Twa castelis, the ane for the king, the uthir for the bischope, baith of starke munitione Ib. II. 308/22.
The Scotis and Frenchemen spyet out al the munitione about the toune, trinch and al Ib. I. 8/27. 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 187.
The sconsses and fortificatiounes and fenceing of the munitioun within and about the touneb. 1529 Aberd. Chart. 45.
Licence to big … wallis af stane and lyme … with fortalices strenthis fousseis and munitionis 1537 Reg. Privy S. II. 376/2.
To big and have ane hous within the burgh of Banff of palice wys, with barmking, battelling, gun hoillis, and uthiris munitionis

c. plur. Fortified places, fortresses.Only in Bellenden and in Boece. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 31.
Thai creatt ane king … and began to mak pollecy in bigging of municiouns, townis & castellis Ib. 157.
First he vesijt the municionis, quhair the Roman soidiouris lay within thair inimeis Ib. (1821) 143. 1533 Boece i. iv. 40.

d. Anything that serves for defence; (a) defence or protection.Only in Bellenden, ? as a Latinism. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 240.
That na trenchis nor walking micht be sufficient munitioun to thair army Ib. II. 181.
Devine helpe is the only targe and sicker munition of kingis and realmes Ib. 312.
To have children … quhilkis … sall be na les terroure to thy fayis than munitioun [M. municionis] to thy pepil Id. Livy I. 120/1.

2. Military stores or supplies; materials and implements of war.Comprising arms, weapons and ammunition and all other kinds of materials of war.

Also, stores or supplies for ships.a. sing. in collective sense. b. plur.Also c. more explicitly, munition(s) of were (war), munitione bellicall.a. 1517 Treas. Acc. V. 122.
The hail munitioun, viz. pikkis, halbartis, billis, matokkis [etc.] 1523 Ib. 223. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 457.
King Richard … send the baron of Graystok with gret munition and vittallis to fornis the castel of Roxburgh Id. Livy I. 94/22.
Twa centuries of smythis … to turs the munycioun and ingynis of chevelry 1533 Boece iii. viii. 103.
With ordinance and mwnycioun to … dant all bruleȝeis within the ile 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 233.
For xlvi draucht gunis and small munitioun fra Leith to the Castell 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 26.
Ony maner of gunneris munitioun or wappynnis 1548 Montgomery Mem. II. 144. 1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 387.
To the cummyng of the schipe with the mwnisioun 1555 Treas. Acc. X. 287.
Munissioun 1566 Ib. XI. 520.
Witht ane irne slang and iiij heidstikis witht thair chalmeris and part of stokis and quhelis and uthir munitioune 1566 Oliphants 101.
Garnischit and weill furneist with artailȝearie and necessar munitioun 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 528. 1568 Reg. Morton I. 34.
With the haill polder and ane great part of the mvnitioun of the realme of Scotland 1571 Sat. P. xxv. 88. 1572 Cal. Sc. P. IV. 476.
On the south syde where the haule is, the lodginge, the store houses for ther munishon and victuals 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 40.
The Frenchmen … hame thay past in spyt of all thair nois, With lose of men and left munitioun to 1572-5 Leslie 152. Diurn. Occurr. 229.
With tua greit schippis … with mickell artailyerie, poudar and uther municione a1578 Pitsc. I. 50/32. Ib. 339/16, 400/26. 1580 Inv. Wardrobe 297. 1585 Elphinstone Mun. 22. 1622-6 Bisset II. 221/9.
[The Admiral to] see the schip … provyded with men and munitioun 1638 Baillie I. 82.
That in the mean time there should no munition at all, neither any victuales more than for daily use, be put in that houseb. 1523 Treas. Acc. V. 230.
Quhilk chargeit all the cartaris of Leith to pas with thare cartis to the camp for tursing of munitionis 1539–40 Reg. Privy S. II. 490/1.
All towis, salis, with all utheris munitionis pertenyng to oure soverane lordis schippis 1543 Reg. Privy S. III. 84/1.
Makand him sercheour … of all … hors … necessar for careing … artailliery, munitionis and victualis [etc.] 1548–9 Home MSS. 95. 1571 Bann. Memor. 144.
Hes thow not vsit the said castle and the Kingis ordinance and munitiounes being therin [etc.]?c. 1549 Compl. 69/8.
Scheildis, speyris, sourdis, bayrdit horse harnes ande al vthir sortis of vaupynis and munitions of veyr 1558-66 Knox II. 75. 1675 Highland P. I. 305.
Armed men with … pistolls, durks and other weapons invasive and munitione bellicall

Passing into: d. spec. ‘Ordnance’, artillery, cannon.Also peaces (= pieces) of munition.(1) 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 158.
iiij hors to turs the bulletis and uthir graith for the munitioune 1532–3 Ib. 161. 1539–40 Ib. VII. 347. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6147.
The king causit his armie Lay ane assault … With sic awfull and cruell munitioun Ib. 6171.
He sall not rais his seige nor munitioun Vnto the time that he obtene the toun 1582 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 568.
The townis munitioun or artailyery a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) 124.
It lay so as the munition might play on all sides upon the enemy without receiving any annoyance from them 1638 Dumbarton B. Rec. 56.
Thay saw ae brasin piece muntit lyand abune and thairfor suspecting sche [a ship] be cum with munition for na guid purpois(2) 1570 Leslie 194.
[He] caused mount certane peaces of munitione apoun the battilment of the Abbay Kirk … and shot thairfre

? Also e. spec. Ammunition. plur. 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII. 348.
For uphaving of certane bullettis to the loft in Leith, quhar the small munitionis lyis, and for changeing of the samin munitionis and bullettis 1542 Ib. VIII. 151.
And send in Denmark for bying of mettell, powder, salpetir, and uther munitionis 1542 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 185.
To be maisteris of the artillierie, and to provyd boolis, slottis, and all vder munitionis requirit thairto

f. Munitioun hous, also hous of munitioun, a storehouse for military supplies, an ordnance store.(1) 1531 Treas. Acc. VI. 48.
For the carriage of the puldir … to the hous of munitioun(2) 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII. 346.
i dur strikkin furtht in the est end of the munitioun hous 1542 Ib. VIII. 72. 1557–8 Ib. X. 334.
To the castell of Hume witht the kee of the munitioun hous … to uplift the artailȝearie 1559 Ib. XI. 16.
xj barrellis of salmond to the munitioun hous in Leith 1569 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 263.
For inbringing of the pikis … and to put in the samyn in the townys mvnitoun hous quhair thay war of before 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 101 b.
Thai … hes maid of the kirkis … tolbuthis, gaird and munition houssis, blok houssis 1584 Reg. Privy C. III. 639. 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 95.
At the redding of the munitioun hous quhen the peices were drawin in