cannon

¹

[ kan-uhn ]

noun

, plural can·nons, (especially collectively) can·non.

1. a mounted gun for firing heavy projectiles; a gun, howitzer, or mortar.
2. British Machinery. quill ( def 10 ).
3. Armor. a cylindrical or semicylindrical piece of plate armor for the upper arm or forearm; a vambrace or rerebrace.
4. Also called cannon bit, a round bit for a horse.
5. the part of a bit that is in the horse's mouth.
6. (on a bell) the metal loop by which a bell is hung.
7. Zoology.
   1. cannon bone.
   2. the part of the leg in which the cannon bone is situated.
8. British. a carom in billiards.
9. Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.

verb (used without object)

1. to discharge cannon.
2. British. to make a carom in billiards.

Cannon

²

[ kan-uhn ]

noun

1. Annie Jump [juhmp], 1863–1941, U.S. astronomer.
2. Joseph Gur·ney [gur, -nee], Uncle Joe, 1836–1926, U.S. politician and legislator.

cannon

/ ˈkænən /

noun

1. an automatic aircraft gun of large calibre
2. history a heavy artillery piece consisting of a metal tube mounted on a carriage
3. a heavy tube or drum, esp one that can rotate freely on the shaft by which it is supported
4. the metal loop at the top of a bell, from which it is suspended
5. See cannon bone
   See cannon bone
6. billiards
   1. a shot in which the cue ball is caused to contact one object ball after another
   2. the points scored by this Usual US and Canadian wordcarom
7. a rebound or bouncing back, as of a ball off a wall
8. either of the two parts of a vambrace

verb

1. introften foll byinto to collide (with)
2. See cannonade
   short for cannonade
3. intr billiards to make a cannon

Cannon

/ kăn′ən /

1. American astronomer noted for her work on classifying stellar spectra. Cannon classified the spectra of 225,300 stars brighter than magnitude 8.5, as well as 130,000 fainter stars.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannon¹

First recorded in 1375–1425 (earlier in Anglo-Latin, Anglo-French ); late Middle English canon, from Middle French, from Italian cannone, equivalent to cann(a) “tube” (from Latin ) + -one augmentative suffix; cane

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannon¹

C16: from Old French canon, from Italian cannone cannon, large tube, from canna tube, cane ¹

Example Sentences

Cannon is only a few years into his climbing obsession, while Hudon’s career reaches back to the 1970s.

From Outside Online

When she came into office in 2019, Bunker said there was no open hostility towards her or Cannon.

From Washington Blade

Cannon said this was the first time she was asked to run for office but declined because her own business was in peril during the economic crisis.

From Washington Blade

When the time was right, he used a sledgehammer to remove the end of the cylinder, sending puffed rice shooting out like a cannon.

From Eater

In some areas, police used water cannons and they also used tear gas.

From MIT Technology Review

The lack of a cannon is a particular problem, as the F-35 is being counted on to help out infantrymen under fire.

From The Daily Beast

Another common prank was to spin the cannon in the direction of the major, causing him to leap out of the way.

From The Daily Beast

I went to Abilene and in the course of the day spent some time with Jim Cannon, who was a Rockefeller aide for a number of years.

From The Daily Beast

As a prolific and early entry in the cannon of television drama, The Twilight Zone never fully disappeared from the airwaves.

From The Daily Beast

On some days there have been more police water-cannon trucks and riot shields on show than tanks.

From The Daily Beast

Many of their cannon balls that fell far short of us, were collected and returned to them with powerful effect.

From Project Gutenberg

She had never had this curiosity in relation to George Cannon--she had only wondered about his affairs with other women.

From Project Gutenberg

They were provided with sails and twelve oars each, and a falconet, or small brass cannon.

From Project Gutenberg

The white men served their smoking cannon with a wild energy that, for a time, made the gallant nine equal to a thousand.

From Project Gutenberg

The British had fired 143 cannon shot into the fort before the arrival of Gen. Clay.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• howitzer
• mortar
• ordnance