an ancient military engine for hurling stones, arrows, etc.
2.
a device for launching an airplane from the deck of a ship.
3.
British. a slingshot.
verb (used with object)
4.
to hurl from a catapult.
5.
to thrust or move quickly or suddenly:
His brilliant performance in the play catapulted him to stardom.
6.
British.
to hurl (a missile) from a slingshot.
to hit (an object) with a missile from a slingshot.
verb (used without object)
7.
to be catapulted.
8.
to move or spring up suddenly, quickly, or forcibly, as if by means of a catapult:
The car catapulted down the highway. When he heard the alarm he catapulted out of bed.
Origin
1570-80; < Latincatapulta < Greekkatapéltēs, equivalent to kata-cata- + péltēs hurler, akin to pállein to hurl
Related forms
catapultic, adjective
Synonyms
5. throw, fling, propel, pitch, shoot.
Examples from the web for catapult
They believed that there must be some sort of biological spring or catapult that launches the tongue on its culinary quest.
The second project describes a catapult that uses a spoon to launch candy through the air.
As a consequence, he has made few of the moves needed to catapult himself to star status.
Then your opponent uses a little catapult to fling little plastic birds at the structure, scoring points for knocking it down.
The catapult is a device that hurls heavy objects or arrows over a large distance.
We will achieve this objective by completing development of an improved method for measuring the catapult slot width.
The pilot drives the plane to a catapult which connects to the plane.
He also has participated in engineering challenges including catapult and hovercraft building.
British Dictionary definitions for catapult
catapult
/ˈkætəˌpʌlt/
noun
1.
a Y-shaped implement with a loop of elastic fastened to the ends of the two prongs, used mainly by children for shooting small stones, etc US and Canadian name slingshot
2.
a heavy war engine used formerly for hurling stones, etc
3.
a device installed in warships to launch aircraft
verb
4.
(transitive) to shoot forth from or as if from a catapult
5.
foll by over, into, etc. to move precipitately: she was catapulted to stardom overnight
Word Origin
C16: from Latin catapulta, from Greek katapeltēs, from kata- down + pallein to hurl
Word Origin and History for catapult
n.
1570s, from Middle French catapulte and directly from Latin catapulta "war machine for throwing," from Greek katapeltes, from kata "against" (see cata-) + base of pallein "to toss, hurl" (see pulse (n.1)). As an airplane-launching device on an aircraft-carrier by 1927.
v.
1848, "to throw with a catapult," from catapult (n.). Intransitive sense by 1928. Related: Catapulted; catapulting.