salvo
1 Americannoun
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a simultaneous or successive discharge of artillery, bombs, etc.
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a round of fire given as a salute.
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a round of cheers or applause.
noun
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an excuse or quibbling evasion.
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something to save a person's reputation or soothe a person's feelings.
noun
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a discharge of fire from weapons in unison, esp on a ceremonial occasion
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concentrated fire from many weapons, as in a naval battle
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an outburst, as of applause
noun
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an excuse or evasion
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an expedient to save a reputation or soothe hurt feelings
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(in legal documents) a saving clause; reservation
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of salvo1
1585–95; earlier salva < Italian ≪ Latin salvē salve 3
Origin of salvo2
1635–45; < Latin salvō, ablative of salvus safe, found in legal phrases
Explanation
A salvo is when troops fire their guns all at the same time. A salvo of shots might signal the beginning of a military battle. Another word for the gunfire kind of salvo is a "volley." Military planners have used salvos as a way to overwhelm an opposing army, including during engagements between battleships and tanks. You can also use salvo in a more figurative way, describing a verbal barrage or attack: "Her direct, almost rude questions were seen as the opening salvo in the battle between the two political candidates."
Vocabulary lists containing salvo
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Code Talker
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sara Morel, CEO of Salvo, a Staffordshire-based architectural salvage firm, said the company had been asked to help re-home the collection to "preserve its future".
From BBC • Aug. 22, 2024
The last time that Donna De Salvo, a senior adjunct curator at Dia, worked with McQueen, in 2016, she was chief curator at the Whitney Museum, where they showed “End Credits.”
From New York Times • May 10, 2024
In a written statement released Saturday, the Rev. Enrique Salvo, pastor of Saint Patrick’s, thanked people he said had informed the church that they “share our outrage over the scandalous behavior” at the funeral.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 18, 2024
The victim in the case also spoke K’iche’, De Salvo said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 27, 2023
I was introduced to the gentleman who had said "Salvo!"
From Now It Can Be Told by Gibbs, Philip
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.