cannon
cannon Lexical Profile
cannon Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large, heavy piece of artillery, typically mounted on a carriage, used for firing heavy projectiles.
"The historic fortress still features a bronze cannon aimed toward the harbor to illustrate its past coastal defenses."
British A shot in billiards in which the cue ball successively strikes two other balls.
"He played a delicate cannon off the red ball to precisely position himself for the next shot."
• verb
To collide forcefully and abruptly into someone or something.
"The eager child cannoned into her father as she ran out of the school gates."
To rebound or ricochet off a surface with considerable force.
"The errant football cannoned off the crossbar and landed deep in the stands."
Word Nuance & Usage
The word 'cannon' (a heavy artillery piece) is frequently confused with its homophone 'canon' (a body of accepted rules, principles, or literature).
• Rhymes for cannon
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old Italian 'cannone' meaning 'large tube', derived from Latin 'canna' meaning 'reed' or 'tube'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.