different between catapult vs secretbox

English

Etymology

From Middle French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Ancient Greek ?????????? (katapélt?s), from ???? (katá, “downwards, into, against”) + ????? (páll?, “I poise or sway a missile before it is thrown”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kæ.t?.p?lt/
• Hyphenation: cat?a?pult

Noun

catapult (plural catapults or catapultæ) (catapultæ is archaic)

1. A device or weapon for throwing or launching large objects, such as a mechanical aid on aircraft carriers designed to help airplanes take off from the flight deck.
2. (Britain) slingshot
3. An instance of firing a missile from a catapult.
4. (figuratively) An instance of firing something, as if from a catapult.

Related terms

• catapeltic

Translations

Verb

catapult (third-person singular simple present catapults, present participle catapulting, simple past and past participle catapulted)

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.

   The candidate selection for running mate has catapulted her to the national scene.
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.

Translations

See also

• ballista
• crossbow
• onager
• siege engine
• trebuchet, trebucket