a mounted gun for firing heavy projectiles; a gun, howitzer, or mortar.
British Machinery. quill.
Armor. a cylindrical or semicylindrical piece of plate armor for the upper arm or forearm; a vambrace or rerebrace.
Also called canon bit. Also called cannon bit,. a round bit for a horse.
the part of a bit that is in the horse's mouth.
(on a bell) the metal loop by which a bell is hung.
Zoology.
the part of the leg in which the cannon bone is situated.
British. a carom in billiards.
Underworld Slang. a pickpocket.
to discharge cannon.
British. to make a carom in billiards.
Annie Jump 1863–1941, U.S. astronomer.
Joseph Gurney Uncle Joe, 1836–1926, U.S. politician and legislator.
an automatic aircraft gun of large calibre
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
See cannon bone
billiards
a shot in which the cue ball is caused to contact one object ball after another
Usual US and Canadian word: carom. the points scored by this
a rebound or bouncing back, as of a ball off a wall
either of the two parts of a vambrace
to collide (with)
short for cannonade
(intr) billiards to make a cannon
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; see cane
A cannon is a large gun that fires heavy metal shells or other projectiles. Originally it was attached to wheels and pulled by men. More recently, cannon refers to the largest gun on a tank or the automatic guns on a plane. All cannons, however old they are, have basically the same shape — a long, thick tube. Not surprising, then, that the term comes from the Latin word canna, meaning "tube" or "reed." Do not confuse with the word canon, with one n, which is a term of classification, as in its most common usage, "the literary canon."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Thursday, the Philippines accused the China Coast Guard of employing water cannon and dangerous manoeuvres at Scarborough.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Ex-Canadian MP Inky Mark has been arrested after police found a trove of guns, ammunition and an antique cannon along with thousands of dollars in cash in his home.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
The first depicts a soldier struggling to maneuver a cannon pulled by a team of horses into position, one of them out of control.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
The cannon fires once more, and 2029’s plebes are plebes no more.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
At certain intersections were deposited mortars and cannon, a few idle powder-monkeys lying atop them to guard them, awaiting commands or playing cards in the shadow of these engines of destruction.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
I guess they’re hoping to get Judge Aileen Cannon.
From Slate ● May 26, 2026
Then Emma Cannon embraces the holiday by pulling her son and twin daughters behind her in a wagon.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
The Sparks also announced the re-signing of forward Emma Cannon, who first signed with the team in February 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2026
Cannon was spending Tuesday glued to the messaging app Telegram and news feeds for developments about the war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
Cannon was startled awake and jumped on Evan.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
The Berlin police used water cannons to help residents of the capital cool off for a second day running Sunday -- this time at the Olympia venue where singer Bruno Mars was performing.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
In Berlin, police deployed two water cannons to spray mist onto people.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
The agency partnered with a company in Texas to use their water cannons — which are typically used on burning oil rigs — to bring them to Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Crews are using water cannons to blast about 12,000 gallons of water per minute at pallets of products that are burning on 65-foot-tall, 600-foot-long metal racks inside the storage facility, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
Over the next four years, the Deanes salvaged a number of the ship’s bronze cannons and recovered many other artifacts.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
Dimarco almost scored himself on 18 minutes but his free-kick cannoned back off the crossbar.
From Barron's ● Feb. 8, 2026
Ibrahima Konate made a complete hash of a pass inside his own half, allowing Ricardo Pepi to race clear for a shot that cannoned back off the post to Driouech, who gleefully slotted home.
From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025
After a quick readjustment, his rushed attempt cannoned off the post and the game was drawn.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2024
Conor Gallagher almost added a late second when his sweetly struck effort using the outside of his boot cannoned off the far post.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2024
And so he stumbled and nearly fell as she gasped and cannoned into Allun, standing still and almost invisible in the dimness.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
However, Hanna Bennison soon reduced City's lead with a wonderful effort from distance, the ball cannoning off of the crossbar and into the net.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2024
Croatia should have scored more, with Perisic's shot from a tight angle cannoning back off the crossbar in what proved a vital moment.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2023
He cracked forehands from a sturdy crouch, his swing full and flowing, the ball cannoning down the sidewall to expire in the back corner, repetitious as a gif.
From The New Yorker ● Jan. 18, 2016
Cabaye, waiting on the edge of the area, thumped the ball back, his shot cannoning off the crossbar.
From The Guardian ● Jun. 30, 2014
The ladder fell sideways, cannoning into another one that had been set up beside it.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
