Definition of 'cannon'

cannon

(kænən )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense, plural cannons , present participle cannoning, past tense, past participle cannoned

1. countable noun

A cannon is a large gun, usually on wheels, which used to be used in battles.

2. countable noun

A cannon is a heavy automatic gun, especially one that is fired from an aircraft.

3. verb

If one person or thing cannons into another, they bump into them with great force.

One of the reporters cannoned into Arnold. [VERB preposition]

The ball cannoned off the back of a Spartak defender and into the net. [VERB preposition]

See a loose cannon

5. See also water cannon

More Synonyms of cannon

Video: pronunciation of
cannon

cannon in British English

(ˈkænən )

nounWord forms: plural -nons or -non

an automatic aircraft gun of large calibre

2. history

a heavy artillery piece consisting of a metal tube mounted on a carriage

a heavy tube or drum, esp one that can rotate freely on the shaft by which it is supported

the metal loop at the top of a bell, from which it is suspended

5. See cannon bone

6. billiards

a shot in which the cue ball is caused to contact one object ball after another

the points scored by this

Usual US and Canadian word: carom

a rebound or bouncing back, as of a ball off a wall

either of the two parts of a vambrace

verb

9. (intransitive; often foll by into)

to collide (with)

10. short for cannonade

11. (intransitive) billiards

to make a cannon

Word origin

C16: from Old French canon, from Italian cannone cannon, large tube, from canna tube, cane1

Cannon in American English

(ˈkænən )

ˈ Joseph Gurney (ˈgɜrni ) 1836-1926; U.S. congressman

cannon in American English

(ˈkænən )

nounWord forms: plural ˈcannons or ˈcannon

a large, mounted piece of artillery; sometimes, specif., a large gun with a relatively short barrel, as a howitzer

an automatic gun, mounted on an aircraft

a part on a bell by which it is hung

cannon bone

4. Mechanics

a hollow tube within which a shaft revolves independently of the outer tube

5. Billiards; British

carom

verb transitive

to attack with cannon fire

7. British

to cause to carom

verb intransitive

to fire cannon

9. British

to make a carom

Word origin

ME & OFr canon < It cannone < canna: see cane; in cannon (sense 5) & cannon (sense 7), cannon (sense 9), altered < carom

Examples of 'cannon' in a sentence
cannon

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He was going well in the race last year but a loose horse cannoned into him and he came down.But the loose cannon ignored them and spent the night before his death enjoying a pint in the Markets area of Belfast.They likewise claimed that they were tricked into fighting their fellow citizens and used as cannon fodder. Cole is not so much a loose cannon as one with the shell stuck in the breach.Just how will the loose cannon react? One of her cannon landed three and a half miles away.But they were more than just cannon fodder.As if this justifies our treating them as cannon fodder.Totally loose cannon, more like it.He was denied a winner in the third minute of added time when his 25-yarder cannoned back off the inside of the post.