cannonball
Definition
Noun: 1. A solid, heavy projectile fired from a cannon: A spherical or roundish mass, typically made of iron or stone, designed to be shot from a large gun (cannon) as a weapon of war, historically used to batter fortifications or cause damage through impact.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The museum displayed a rusted iron cannonball from the 18th century.
- During the siege, the walls were struck repeatedly by cannonballs.
- The pirate ship fired a cannonball across the bow of the merchant vessel.
Advanced Usage
"Cannonball run": Refers to a long-distance, high-speed road trip or race, named after a film. This usage is idiomatic and extends the word's association with speed and directness.
- They made a cannonball run from New York to Los Angeles in under 48 hours.
"Cannonball dive" or "cannonball" (in swimming): A style of jumping into water where the person pulls their knees to their chest to create a large splash, resembling the shape and impact of a cannonball.
- The kids competed to see who could do the biggest cannonball off the dock.
Variants and Related Words
- Cannon (n): The large, heavy gun designed to fire a cannonball.
- Grapeshot (n): A type of ammunition consisting of small metal balls packed together, fired from a cannon for anti-personnel use. (A different type of projectile).
- Round shot (n): A historical synonym for a solid cannonball.
Synonyms
- Round shot: (Historical) A solid projectile for a cannon.
- Ball: (Informal/contextual) Can refer to a cannonball in historical or naval contexts.
- Projectile: A general term for any object propelled through the air.
Related Phrases
- Like a cannonball: An adverbial phrase describing something moving with great speed and force.
- He ran through the door like a cannonball.
Related Idioms
- Cannonball express: A term for something very fast, like a train (historical usage).
- To make a cannonball decision: (Less common) To act decisively and with forceful, direct impact, analogous to a cannonball's effect.
Noun
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a solid projectile that in former times was fired from a cannon
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