I. launch 1 W2 /lɔːntʃ $ lɒːntʃ/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old North French ; Origin: lancher , from Late Latin lanceare 'to throw a lance' , from Latin lancea ; ⇨ ↑ lance 1 ]
1 . START SOMETHING to start something, usually something big or important:
The organization has launched a campaign to raise $150,000.
The Canadian police plan to launch an investigation into the deal.
launch an attack/assault/offensive
The press launched a vicious attack on the President.
The book launched his career as a novelist.
2 . PRODUCT to make a new product, book etc available for sale for the first time:
The company hopes to launch the new drug by next October.
3 . BOAT to put a boat or ship into the water
4 . SKY/SPACE to send a weapon or spacecraft into the sky or into space:
A test satellite was launched from Cape Canaveral.
5 . COMPUTER to make a computer program start SYN open :
Double-click on an icon to launch an application.
6 . launch yourself forwards/up/from etc to jump up and forwards into the air with a lot of energy
launch into something phrasal verb
1 . to suddenly start a description or story, or suddenly start criticizing something:
Nelson launched into a blistering criticism of greedy lawyers.
2 . to suddenly start doing something:
Don’t just launch into exercise without warming up first.
launch out phrasal verb British English
to start something new, especially something that involves risk
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THESAURUS
▪ shoot verb [intransitive and transitive] to use a gun to fire bullets, or to kill or injure someone using a gun:
He ordered his men to stop shooting.
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The guards shot the man as he was trying to escape.
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President Kennedy was shot by a lone gunman.
▪ fire verb [intransitive and transitive] to shoot bullets from a gun, or send an explosive object towards someone or something:
Soldiers fired into the crowd.
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Helicopters fired rockets at several buildings.
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He regained his balance, took aim, and fired.
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The police fired into the air to make the crowd break up.
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As soon as we crossed the border, enemy troops started firing at us.
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Kendrick fired three shots at the President’s car.
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Suddenly the car stopped, and the passenger got out and fired a Kalashnikov rifle at the police car.
▪ launch verb [transitive] to send a large rocket or ↑ missile into the air:
American warships launched cruise missiles.
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The guerrillas launched their rockets from densely populated towns.
▪ open fire to start shooting:
Nineteen students were injured after a gunman opened fire.
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Troops opened fire on a group of unarmed demonstrators.
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The colonel gave the order for the soldiers to open fire.
▪ shell verb [transitive] to fire shells (=metal containers filled with an explosive substance) at enemy soldiers, cities etc in a war, using large guns:
Border towns have been shelled by enemy aircraft for the past two months.
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British warships began shelling German positions along the coast.
▪ bombard verb [transitive] to attack a place for a long time with shells or bombs:
Allied forces bombarded the coast prior to the invasion.
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Troops bombarded the area with shells.
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The allied forces bombarded the enemy trenches for weeks.
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Cromwell’s men had been bombarding the fort with their artillery for several days.
▪ take a potshot at somebody/something to shoot at someone or something without aiming very carefully:
Someone tried to take a potshot at him, but hit the man behind instead.
II. launch 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1,3: Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ launch 1 ]
[ Sense 2: Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Spanish ; Origin: lancha , from Portuguese , perhaps from Malay lanchar 'quick' ]
1 . when a new product, book etc is made available or made known
launch of
the launch of a new women’s magazine
a new product launch
2 . a large boat with a motor
3 . when a weapon or spacecraft is sent into the sky or into space