Dictionary

catapult en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkæ.tə.pʌlt/
• (Southern-England) audio

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.

Meanings

1. A device or weapon for throwing or launching large objects.
2. A mechanical aid on aircraft carriers designed to help airplanes take off from the flight deck.
3. (UK) A slingshot.
4. An instance of firing a missile from a catapult.
5. (figuratively) An instance of firing something, as if from a catapult.
   • The visitors were given notice of what was to come when Huth headed wide from a Rory Delap long throw but failed to heed the warning, allowing the German defender to rise unmarked to meet another Delap catapult and plant his header into the net after 12 minutes. 2011 March 13, Chris Bevan, “Stoke 2 - 1 West Ham”, in BBC:

Forms

Deriveds

catapult effect · catapultic · catapultable · catapult fruit · catapultlike · catapultian · hand catapult

Hyponyms

torsion catapult · steam catapult · trebuchet

Relateds

catapeltic

Translations (84)

vi máy bắn đá (device for launching large objects) · cs katapult (device for launching large objects) · ota چرخ (device for launching large objects) · tg катапулта (device for launching large objects) · it catapulta (device for launching large objects) · sl katapult (device for launching large objects) · az منجنیق (device for launching large objects) · oge ფილაკვანი (device for launching large objects) · lv katapulta (device for launching large objects) · de Katapult (device for launching large objects) · da katapultering (instance of firing something) · ms tarpil (device for launching large objects) · da katapult (device for launching large objects) · pt catapulta (device for launching large objects) · cmn 投石機 /投石机 (device for launching large objects) · fi heittokone (device for launching large objects) · gl catapulta (device for launching large objects) · ota منجنیق (device for launching large objects) · la catapulta (device for launching large objects) · et heitemasin (device for launching large objects) · ja 投石器 (device for launching large objects) · ka ფილაკვანი (device for launching large objects) · ar مِرْجَام (device for launching large objects) · ur مِنجَنِیق (device for launching large objects) · ko 투석기 (device for launching large objects) · he קָטָפּוּלְטָה (device for launching large objects) · cy blif (device for launching large objects) · ka კატაპულტა (device for launching large objects) · fi tykitys (instance of firing something) · nb katapult (device for launching large objects) · fa منجنیک (device for launching large objects) · bg катапу́лт (device for launching large objects) · sq katapultë (device for launching large objects) · mwl trabuco (device for launching large objects) · ar مَنْجَنِيق (device for launching large objects) · br bannerez-vein (device for launching large objects) · ky катапульта (device for launching large objects) · oc catapulta (device for launching large objects) · tg манҷаниқ (device for launching large objects) · hi गुलेल (device for launching large objects) · sk katapult (device for launching large objects) · co catapulta (device for launching large objects) · eo katapulto (device for launching large objects) · ja カタパルト (device for launching large objects) · cmn 彈射器 /弹射器 (device for launching large objects) · ug مەنچاناق (device for launching large objects) · tr mancınık (device for launching large objects) · grc καταπάλτης (device for launching large objects) · ro catapultă (device for launching large objects) · az katapult (device for launching large objects) · uz manjaniq (device for launching large objects) · be катапу́льта (device for launching large objects) · ja 投石機 (device for launching large objects) · fi katapultti (device for launching large objects) · az mancanaq (device for launching large objects) · el καταπέλτης (device for launching large objects) · non valsløngva (device for launching large objects) · fr catapulte (device for launching large objects) · ca catapulta (device for launching large objects) · fa منجنیق (device for launching large objects) · nl katapult (device for launching large objects) · hi अवक्षेपक (device for launching large objects) · lt katapulta (device for launching large objects) · hy բաբան (device for launching large objects) · uk катапу́льта (device for launching large objects) · nn katapult (device for launching large objects) · mk катапу́лт (device for launching large objects) · sv katapult (device for launching large objects) · th แคทะพัลต์ (device for launching large objects) · kmr mencenîq (device for launching large objects) · ug مانجانىق (device for launching large objects) · kk катапульта (device for launching large objects) · ko 캐터펄트 (device for launching large objects) · pl katapulta (device for launching large objects) · mk пра́ќа (device for launching large objects) · es catapulta (device for launching large objects) · hu katapult (device for launching large objects) · ckb مەنجەنیق (device for launching large objects) · ru катапу́льта (device for launching large objects) · hu hajítógép (device for launching large objects) · sh ката̀пулт (device for launching large objects) · tl palintong (device for launching large objects) · sh katàpult (device for launching large objects) · et katapult (device for launching large objects)

catapult en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈkæ.tə.pʌlt/
• (Southern-England) audio

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.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To fire a missile from a catapult.
2. (transitive) To fire or launch something, as if from a catapult.
3. (transitive) To increase the status of something rapidly.
   • I was catapulted without preparation into the most difficult job any mortal man can hold. My duties would not wait a week, or a day, or even an hour. 1971, Lyndon Johnson, “The Beginning”, in The Vantage Point, Holt, Reinhart & Winston, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 12:
   • The candidate selection for running mate has catapulted her to the national scene.
   • England will not be catapulted among the favourites for Euro 2012 as a result of this win, but no victory against Spain is earned easily and it is right they take great heart from their efforts as they now prepare to play Sweden at Wembley on Tuesday. 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:
4. (intransitive) To be fired from a catapult or as if from a catapult.
5. (intransitive) To have one's status increased rapidly.
   • She catapulted to the national scene following her selection by the candidate.

Forms

Relateds

crossbow · trebuchet · ballista · trebucket · siege engine · onager

Translations (38)

fr catapulter (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · fi singahtaa (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · es catapultar (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · oc catapultar (to fire a missile from a catapult) · da fare (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · fi sinkauttaa (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · eo katapultiĝi (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · fr catapulter (to increase the status rapidly) · es ser catapultado (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · eo katapulti (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · bg катапултирам (to increase the status rapidly) · ru катапульти́ровать (to fire a missile from a catapult) · fr catapulter (to fire a missile from a catapult) · de katapultieren (to fire a missile from a catapult) · da katapulteres (to have one's status increased rapidly) · ca catapultar (to fire a missile from a catapult) · da katapultere (to increase the status rapidly) · fi singota (to fire a missile from a catapult) · da flyve (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · pl katapultować (to fire a missile from a catapult) · eo katapulti (to fire a missile from a catapult) · fi singota (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · eo katapulti sin (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · da slynge (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · fr catapulter (to have one's status increased rapidly) · es catapultar (to fire a missile from a catapult) · de katapultieren (to increase the status rapidly) · cs katapultovat (to fire a missile from a catapult) · hu katapultál (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · fi sinkoutua (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · da kaste (to fire a missile from a catapult) · he הזניק (to increase the status rapidly) · fi ampaista (to have one's status increased rapidly) · fi ampaista (to be fired from or as if from a catapult) · ca catapultar (to increase the status rapidly) · da kaste (to fire or launch as if from catapult) · da slynge (to fire a missile from a catapult) · bg катапултирам (to fire a missile from a catapult)