Tirailleurs are likewise skirmishers or marksmen, advanced in front to annoy the enemy, and draw off his attention; or they are left behind to amuse and stop his progress in the pursuit; a column of infantry is often ordered to act as tirailleurs.
TIRE, are great guns, shot, shells, &c. placed in a regular form. See [Piles].
Tire-balle, Fr. An instrument used by surgeons to extract musquet-balls.
Tire-bourre, Fr. In artillery, a wad-hook. It likewise signifies a worm to draw the charge out of a musquet.
Tire-fond, Fr. An instrument which is used among the French to fix a petard. It likewise means a surgeon’s tenebra or piercer.
Tire ligne, Fr. An instrument used in drawing lines.
Tire-ployer, Fr. To discharge; to unload.
TIRER, Fr. To shoot, to fire.
Tirer à boulets rouges, Fr. To fire with red hot shot.
Tirer des armes à feu. To fire any species of firearm. There is a curious and well written passage on this subject in the Supplement aux reveries de M. le Maréchal de Saxe, page 76.