catapult
/ˈkæ.tə.pʌlt/ noun, verb
Forms catapults catapulting catapulted
- noun A device or weapon for throwing or launching large objects.
- noun A mechanical aid on aircraft carriers designed to help airplanes take off from the flight deck.
- noun (UK) A slingshot.
- noun An instance of firing a missile from a catapult.
- noun (figuratively) An instance of firing something, as if from a catapult.
- verb (transitive) To fire a missile from a catapult.
- verb (transitive) To fire or launch something, as if from a catapult.
- verb (transitive) To increase the status of something rapidly. “The candidate selection for running mate has catapulted her to the national scene.”
- verb (intransitive) To be fired from a catapult or as if from a catapult.
- verb (intransitive) To have one's status increased rapidly. “She catapulted to the national scene following her selection by the candidate.”
Synonyms
slingshot sling launcher arbalest arbalist ballista bricole mangonel onager trebuchet trebucket
Etymology
From Middle French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Ancient Greek καταπέλτης (katapéltēs), from κατά (katá, “downwards, into, against”) + πάλλω (pállō, “to poise or sway a missile before it is thrown”). Doublet of catapulta.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “catapult”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details