/ ˈkætəpʌlt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
( BrE ) ( NAmE sling·shot ) a stick shaped like a Y with a rubber band attached to it, used by children for shooting stones
2.
a weapon used in the past to throw heavy stones
3.
a machine used for sending planes up into the air from a ship
■ verb
[+ adv. / prep. ] to throw sb/sth or be thrown suddenly and violently through the air :
[ vn ]
She was catapulted out of the car as it hit the wall.
( figurative )
The movie catapulted him to international stardom.
[also v ]
••
WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from French catapulte or Latin catapulta , from Greek katapeltēs , from kata- down + pallein hurl.