CATAPULT


Meaning of CATAPULT in English

I. cat ‧ a ‧ pult 1 /ˈkætəpʌlt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]

[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: catapulta , from Greek katapaltes , from kata- ( ⇨ ↑ cataclysm ) + pallein 'to throw strongly' ]

1 . a large weapon used in former times to throw heavy stones, iron balls etc

2 . British English a small stick in the shape of a Y with a thin rubber band fastened over the two ends, used by children to throw stones SYN slingshot American English

3 . a piece of equipment used to send an aircraft into the air from a ship

II. catapult 2 BrE AmE verb

1 . [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to push or throw something very hard so that it moves through the air very quickly:

Sam was catapulted into the air by the force of the blast.

2 . catapult somebody to fame/stardom etc to suddenly make someone very famous:

A remarkable series of events catapulted her into the limelight.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.