catapult

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

cata·pult [catapult catapults catapulted catapulting] noun, verb BrE [ˈkætəpʌlt] NAmE [ˈkætəpʌlt]
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

Word Origin:
late 16th cent.: from French catapulte or Latin catapulta, from Greek katapeltēs, from kata- ‘down’ + pallein ‘hurl’.
 
verb transitive, intransitive
to throw sb/sth or be thrown suddenly and violently through the air
•~ (sb/sth) + adv./prep. She was catapulted out of the car as it hit the wall.
• (figurative)The movie catapulted him to international stardom.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
late 16th cent.: from French catapulte or Latin catapulta, from Greek katapeltēs, from kata- ‘down’ + pallein ‘hurl’.
 
See also: ↑slingshot

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  arbalest, arbalist, ballista, bricole, mangonel, onager, trebuchet, trebucket, launcher, slingshot, sling