The Collaborative International Dictionary
Whitworth gun
Whitworth gun \Whit"worth gun`\ (Gun.) A form of rifled cannon and small arms invented by Sir Joseph Whitworth, of Manchester, England.
Note: In Mr. Whitworth's system, the bore of the gun has a
polygonal section, and the twist is rapid. The ball,
which is pointed in front, is made to fit the bore
accurately, and is very much elongated, its length
being about three and one half times as great as its
diameter.
--H. L. Scott.